The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-10-09
PARTIES PREPARE
FOR BIC STRUGGLE
WHICH NOW |MPENDS
Thirty-TwO Senators Will
Have to Run in
1914
WILL DEMOCRATS LOSE
THE SENATE? is ASKED
No Fear Is Felt in Regard to the
House All the Parties Have
Named Their Campaign
Committees

Washington, October S.-(Special)-It is
year yet to the next general election,
but nevertheless one can see in Wash
ington evidences that the republicans are
going to put up a fight to increase their
number in the House, and If possible to
capture the United States Senate where
the democratic majority is rather slim. A
few weeks ago there seemed to be a feel
ing of general apathy among the repub-
leans, but along with the cool weather
and the professed encouragement they
received from the Maine election they
have taken on a new supply of PEP"
and some of them go as far as saying that
the next House will certainly be repub-
ican.
Both the republicans and democrats
tees; the bull moose. apparently undaunt-
ed by the small vote that party received
in both Maine and New Jersey, is paving
around in the country districts claiming
that the party will have a candidate for
Congress against every man of the other
two parties. The democrats believe conf
IDENTIFY that the tariff bill will become so
great boon to the people that the party
will be returned to power as a pledge of
faith. Therefore, in general it might be
said that the plot is thiekening.
Democrats Are Preparing
To keep themselves in power and to
head off adverse legislation that would
embarrass the administration, the demo-
| Gratis will line up with every ounce of
strength placed where it will be of the
greatest use. From bottom to top the
democrats will fight to retain power, and
the struggle will be of historic Importance
because it will show the first widespread
effect of the direct election of United
States senators.
Heretofore in off years the members
of Congress have had to think mainly of
| controlling the House of Representatives,
as the senators were elected by the state
legislatures, and in most cases it could
be told with a certainty from the COM
plexion of the legislatures just whether
| a democrat or republican would be
elected. However, it is now different
The candidate for the United States Sem
ate must now comb the ground as assidu-
ously as candidate for a county office,
except that his territory for the combing
| will be vastly greater. The congress
sional committees, therefore, must wage
double jointed fight, and the United
States senator is now responsible to the
common ''peepul" the ultimate con-
sumner and other well known ballot cast
| ing characters.
Thirty-Two Senators
| Thirty-two senators are to be named in
| the 1914 campaign, the terms of that num-
Der expiring March 4. 1915. The demo-
cratic majority in the Senate is uncom-
fortably small. and gave the greatest con-
Germ in the recent struggle to pass the
Underwood bill. Especially is this true
when several of these Independent gen.
tlemen. who have not yet fully appre-
ciated their position, refused to stand
hitched. By winning only half dozen
seats In the next years contest the repub-
leans could control the Senate.
They have a long way to travel in the
House, however to come within shoot
ing distance of getting control. The pres
ent democratic majority is really greater
than is necessary, and could probably be
better handled If smaller
1t is believed that the progressive party
will fail to make a showing in the "off
year" elections commensurate with the
vote OBTAINED by Roosevelt In 1872. Every
indication is that the party's bubble will
burst without the strong personality of
it's first presidential candidate to lead the
charge
Hoping for Patronage
The democrats are hoping that President
Wilson will loosen up quite a good deal
on patronage in the interim. They real
lie that generous application of offices
so far as the administration has the
power to apply them-will be an eloquent
argument, and a powerful aid in the cleo
lions which are to take place next year.
Then If the tariff bill stands up, they
feel confident that the Wilson admins
tration will not be embarrassed as the
last Cleveland administration, as was also
the Taft administration, by having the
| opposite party in control of one branch of
| the legislative end, thereby tying the
hands of the executive.
| Certainly politics in Washington is just
! one blamed thing after another.