The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1914-07-22
ELECTIONS TO BRING
DIVIDED CONGRESS
Prospects Are for Deadlock
From Republican House and
Democratic Senate.

Congress is likely to get into thai
sort OF a division of strength as be-
| tween the political parties. where II
| will be practically at a standstill SO
far as the enactment OF legislation OF
| big political importance Is concerned
That is, the next Congress. which will
be the sixty-fourth, promises to have
Republican House and a Democratic
Senate.
The Republicans, it Is true. have a
long way to travel before they capture
the House. but the trend of things re-
Gently has been so much in their favor
that they may accomplish 1t. 1t is
certain that many of the Democratic
leaders fear it. and many of the Re-
publican leaders expect II.
II the Republicans should capture
the House this fall then there will be
presented in the next Congress the spec
tacle Of a House initiating legislation
OF the Republican sort, OF a Senate
initiating legislation of a Democratic
sort, and each body tending to check
the work of tie other. That Is the
situation which was presented in the
Sixty-second Congress. which was elect
Democrats controlled the House and the
Republicans the Senate.
Deadlocks Result
Some important laws were passed in
the Sixty-second Congress, but when
it came to tariff or anything having
a political bent. the attempted legis-
lation either came to an impasse, or it
was passed by Congress with the
knowledge that veto awaited II at
the White House.
This is an ideal situation for those
interests and elements that want a
minimum Of legislation. However. the
insurgency In each of the parties in
recent years makes 1t possible even In
such a situation to do more than would
be the case IL the old hard and fast
pletely binding than II Is.
The Republicans this fall, even though
they win sweeping victory so far as
the House is concerned cannot hope
to regain control of the Senate. That
body Is apparently Democratic for some
years to come. 1t is doubtful II Re-
publican victory in 1916. unless it was a
veritable landslide. could enable the Re-
publicans to recapture the Senate. That
body, with one-third only of its men,
bers elected every two years. changes
much more gradually than the House.
1t Is bound to be so, because two
thirds of the Senators are always hold
overs.
Few Changes Possible.
The only States where the Democrats
by any reasonable possibility can lose
Senator this fall are Oregon. where
Senator Chamberlain is a candidate
for reelection; Nevada, where Senator
Newlands Is a candidate for another
term; Indiana. where Senator SlIiveIy is
running to succeed himself; Maryland,
where Senator John Walter Smith seeks
reelection; Arizona. where Senator
Marcus A. Smith is running again; and
Missouri, where Senator Stone Is a can
didate.
The Democrats now have fifty-three
Senators. To lose control of the Sem
ate the Vice President being Demo-
crat. they would have to be reduced to
forty-seven. or one less than half the
total Senate.
The Republicans this fall. in order to
capture the Senate, would have to hold
ali their present Senate strength and
gain six Senators additional. 1t is en-
tirely unlikely they can accomplish this.
II the Republican trend Is as strong as
in many quarters. the
Democratic margin may be lowered.
and this especially If the Bull Moose
prove to be weak.
Looking ahead to 1916, moreover, the
list of Senators to be elected then does
not give promise of much. IL any, Re-
publican gain. Rather II looks as IL
the Senatorial elections In that year
were likely to prove about 4 stand-oh,
so far as the two old parties are con-
cerned.