Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-01-25
IN
SENATE LEAD BY
SMALL MARGIN
Interests in the Deadlocks
in Various State Legisla-
lures Make Senators Ap-
prehensive.
IBY E. H. HANSON.l

Washington, d. c., Jan. 24.-Sena
torial elections all over the country
| are drawing the attention OF Washing
ton salons now.
The margin Of democratic control IN
the upper chamber of the national
legislative body depends upon the out
come in Illinois where there are two
senators to be elected, in Tennessee
where there is one, in West Virginia
where there is one, in Delaware where
there is one and Wyoming where
there is one.
The worst that anyone can figure it
from democratic standpoint Is 49 to
At in favor of the democrats. This
majority may be materially Increased
If the deadlocks in Illinois and West
Virginia remain unbroken-not an I'M
probable thing and quite far from an
impossible thing. The Tennessee dead
lock is a matter Of concern but 1t IS
not necessary for that state to elect a
successor to Senator Sanders to give
the democrats control.
Illinois is to elect two senators, to
succeed Senators Cullom and Lorimer.
West Virginia is to elect one to sue
ceed Senator Watson. West Virginia
was carried by the combined republi-
can bull moose vote in November but
now the legislators are scrapping bit
terly over the question whether they
shall elect republican or bull
mooser and Senator Watson, with a
solid phalanx of democrats, is stand
ing by, waiting for an opportunity, II
one presents itself, by which he can
reflect himself by the aid Of one Of
the factions.
The November election left the DEM
ocrats with majority of two, count
ing Illinois in the republican column,
but the death Of Senator Rayner Of
Maryland reduced this to one. So 1t
can be seen that If Illinois and West
Virginia fail to elect the democrats
working majority will be increased by
just three votes.
AS the senate now stands there are
forty-four republicans and progressives
and forty-eight democrats for the sixty
third congress. This leaves out 1lli-
nois, Tennessee, and West Virginia, SO
it can be seen that the democrats have
a good working majority now. If ILL
nois sends one or two democrats the
majority will be increased that much
and even if she should send two re-
publicans and West Virginia a repub-
lican, the democrats would have mar
gin Of one if Tennessee remained
|deadlocked.
The situations in Wyoming and
Delaware are interesting mainly from
a point of personality.
Warren Some Shepherd.
In Wyoming Senator Warren is
fighting for legislative life that has
been accused of being everything but
honorable from the time he entered
congress. Warren is typical Of the old
order OF things-the order which be-
lieved in capitalizing the government
for the beneflt Of private individuals.
He has been accused of putting
through more legislative tricks than
all the rest Of the senate combined
and he has grown immensely wealthy
in his service in the upper house.
Much of his wealth is In land and
sheep and the late Senator Dolliver
once characterized him as the greatest
shepherd since Abraham.
Flight In Delaware.
In Delaware bipartisan combina-
ton is attempting to prevent the cleo
ton of Willard Salisbury, the regular
democratic nominee. Salisbury has