Evening star., 1912-11-07
Democrats Need One More
Seat in the Senate.
SOME FIGHTS NOT SETTLED
Elections in Seven States Yet Remain
in Doubt.
LIKELY COMMITTEE SHIFTS
Entire Organization of the Upper
litical Complexion Changes.


Democratic control of the United States
Senate is not vet certainty, althohgi
the positive capture of only one more
seat is necessary to insure them the
necessary majority. That is the way the
situation stands today, in the ilght OF
the latest returns from Tuesday elec-
ton.
If the democrats get one of the two
togas at issue in Illinois or one toga III
Michigan, New Hampshire, Oregon, South
Dakota. Tennessee or Wyoming. they VIII
have a strength of forty-nine in the upper
branch of Congress, and therefore the
control.
With the hold-over senators, those re-
elected and those sure of reelection OF
of being succeeded by men of the same
political party. the Senate stood ~ oeilio-
Gratis and 81 republicans The democrats
needed nine, therefore. to give tneil CON @
troll. Returns to date inalcate 'heS '
already sure Of eight.
Colorado Democratic.
The Colorado legislature is surely
democratic and Gov John F. Shafroth
-
will probably be chosen.
Likewise the Delaware legislature has
been captured by the democrats. and
Democratic National Committeeman
Salisbury will probably be chosen TO
succeed Senator Richardson.
In Kansas, Gov w. H. Stupps. Tepup-
lican candidate. has conceded the election
of W. II. Thompson. democrat to succeed
Senator Curtis.
In Montana, the choice of Thomas j.
Walsh democrat, has been made prac-
tically a certainty by the count of the
ballots so far.
In Nevada the democratic candidate.
Key Pitman, appears to have the lead
over Senator Massey, republican, and Will
take his place soon as the Nevada
legislature meets.
New Jersey returns leave no doubt OF
a democratic majority in the state legis-
lature, insuring the election OF former
Representative Hughes to the Senate
In Oklahoma Senator Owen, democrat,
aas distanced his competitors in the sena-
torial race, and his return is assured.
Insured Forty-Eight Votes.
That insures the democrats forty-eight
votes. They are likely to get at least one
more in the seven states where the re-
suit is still somewhat in doubt. In the
Illinois legislature the socialists and pro-
gressives have balance of power and
the issue Is hard determine. The republi-
cans are in the lead in the struggle for
the Michigan legislature and victory
for them means the return OF Senator
William Alden Smith. The complexion
Of the New Hampshire legislature. whlch
is to elect successor to Senator Burn
ham, is still a matter Of conjecture. In
Oregon where the election Is practlcally
by popular vote, Ben Smelling, republican,
and Harry Lane, democrat are running a
nd demOcraIlC
candidate slightly. ahead.
In South Dakota Thomas Sterling. re.
publican, appears TO be ieadng H.
D. Pettigrew, democrat, and the demo.
Gratis have little chance to annex tOga
there. The Tennessee legislature, &C
corting to latest reports, is in the hands
of fusionists opposed to the election ol
the democratic senatorial candidate, M
r. Patterson. Senator Francls u. war,
rem, republican, of Wyoming has good
chance Of reelection. according TO the
latest reports from the state.
Republican Strength.
The republicans seem sure of thirty
nine seats in the Senate. In addition tc
the thirty hold-over senator's. they seem
TO be sure OF one from Maine, two from
Idaho, one each from Iowa, Massachu.
sets, Rhode Island. Minnesota, Nebraska
New Mexico and West Virginia.
The democratic control is so near a GER
tainty that a deadlock in any of the
legislatures from which the returns are
close would prevent the republicans from
equaling their strength of forty eight and
thus insure democratic control
Democratic control of the Senate would
mean the overthrow of the entire Senate
organization. Democratic senators would
become chairmen of the big committees
so long ruled over by republicans, and the
force of employees would show more DEM
Ocratic votes a straw
Heads of Committees.
Should the rule of seniority, so long in
vogue in the Senate, be followed. the i'm
portant committee chairmanships would
be practically as follows:
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES TiIlman. or Sen
ator Culberson.
F'inance-Senator Simmons.
Agriculture--Senator Bankhead
Civil service-Senator Clarke of Ar
kansas.
Claims-Senator Overman
Commerce-Senator Martin
District of Columbia-Senator Smith OF
Maryland.
Education and labor-Senator Rayner.
Ffsheries-Senator Fletcher
Foreign relations-Senator Bacon.
Immigration-Senator Jeff Davis
Indian affairs-Senator Stone.
lnteroceanic canals-Senator Thornton
Interstate commerce-Senator TiIlmar
or Senator Newlands
lrrigation-Senator Newlands or Senate,
Gore.
Judiciary-Senator Culberson or Sena
tor Overman
Manufactures-Senator Smith OF Soutf
Carolina
Military affairs-Senator Johnston
Naval affairs-Senator Tillman or Sena
tor Smith OF Maryland
Pensions-Senator Gore or Sana+o
Shively
Post offices-Senator Bankhead or Sen
ator Smith OF South Carolina
Privileges and elections-Senator John
ston or Senator Fletcher.
Public buildings and grounds-Senato
Cu1berson or Senator SWANSON
Rules-Senator Oyerman