The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-03-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.


Within few weeks the campaign for
the election of one-third of the United
States Senate and brand new House of
Representatives will open.
All Senators are hereafter to be elected
by the direct vote of the people. The
candidates for these Offices will. as re-
suit, benefit or be damaged by the popu-
larity of the national administration in
power.
1t is not only possible but quite prob
able that the Democratic majority in the
House, nov little short of 40. will be
reduced in the coming elections. This
majority is abnormal. 1t was swelled to
its present proportions by reason ofthird-
party tickets in almost every Congress
sional district in the last campaign.
There will be fewer Bull Moose candi-
dates next time.
No hope exists in Republican breasts
that the overwhelming Democratic ma
jority in the House can be overcome, but
there have been predictions that the ma
jority party will lose control of the next
Senate, and it is evident even now that
all forces will be conce ntrated to that end.
A glance at the present situation, how
ever, does not seem to encourage the Re.
publican leaders. Juat how they can ex-
pecs to wipe out the present majority.
narrow through it is, appears not qnite
clear. II looks likely, on the contrary,
that the Democratic margin in the Senate
might be widened.
Under the Federal Constitution one
third of the members of the Senate are
to be elected every two years. This
means that 81 Senatorial seats will te-
come vacant on March a. 1915, and that
81 contests will take place in as many
States next fall.
OF the 81 seats in question, IS are now
filed by Democratic Senators and II by
Republicans. The Democrats are as fol.
lows: Chamberlain, Oregon; Clark, Ar
kansas; Fletcher, Florida; Gore, Oklaho-
ma; vacancy, Alabama; Newlands, Ne
vada; Overmau. North Carolina; Shively,
Indiana; Smith, South Carolina; Smith
Maryland; Smith, Georgia; Smith, Ari.
zonia; Stone, Missouri; Thomas, Colorado,
and Thornton, of Louisiana.
In this whole list there is hardly q
doubtful State unless Indiana could be SO
classed
1t is hard to figure out, therefore, from
what States now represented by Demo
Gratis, the Republicans hope to gain votes.
And unless they make gains from this
list they cannot affect the present Demo-
cratic majority in the Senate. They
must eject members to all the seats now
occupied by Republicans merely to main
tain the present party divisions.
The Republicans whose terms expire
this time are as follows: Bradley. Ken
lucky; Brady, Idaho; Braudegee, Connec-
ticut; Bristow, Kansas; Burton, Ohio;
Crawford, South Dakota; Cummins
Iowa; Dillingham;, Vermont; Gallinger,
New Hampshire Gronna, North Dakota:
Jones. Washington; Penrose, Pennsyl-
vania; Perkins. California; Root New
York; Sherman, Illinois; Smoot, Utah.
and Stephenson, Wisconsin.
This list of States furnishes excellent
fighting ground for the Democratic party.
In Kansas a three-cornered fight hss
already been inaugurated by the an
nonncement of a Bull Moose candidate
for the Senate This applies also to /
Pennsylvania, where Clifford Pinchot will
oppose Senator Penrose and A. Mitchell
Palmer. The State of Washington will
probably have Progressive candidate.
A Bull Moose Senator now represents il
in part in the Senate 1t is said. too.
that Bull Moose tickets will be put out
In Vermont and New Hampshire and
this may elect Democratic Senators from
each of these States.
Assuming therefore, that the Demo |
Gratis will lose one or two seats now filed
by them they stand to gain five or six
from the Republicans. This points to |
the likelihood of much larger working
majority in the next Senate than thu
dominant party now has