The Washington times., 1914-11-11
CT P CONFIDENT
FOR 1916 CAMPAIGN
But Democrats Feel Sure of
Senate Control Under Any
Circumstances.
By JOHN SNURE.

Republican leaders Who have been
casting over the situation in Congress
as 1t will be after March 4. when the
Sixty-fourth Congress comes into Of
nee, profess not to be discouraged over
The increased lead which the Demo
Gratis have obtained ia the Senate as
the result Of the recent elections.
The Democrats as the result OF the
elections have strength OF tifty-siX
in the Senate OF the SiNty-fourth Con-
gress. This is seven more than enough,
10 control the upper house. The Sen
ate has ninety-siX members. II takes
1orty-nine TO make a majority.
IL the Democrats lose nine seats i'm
the 1916 elections the control of the Sen
ste viii pass to the opposition. A loss
OF seven seats would leave the Demo-
rats with 49 members or a bare ma
lority. A loss OF eight seats, would
leave the Democrats and their opDon- =
ents evenly divided.
The Democrats undoubtedly are put
In fairly comfortable position by the
recent elections. so far as the Senate
Is concerned. II is no easy matter to
wipe out such lead as they have. The
Democrats predict that. even if the Re-
lubl.caDs should elect a President in
1916, they would find themselves minus
the control of the upper house and
thus would be unable to carry through
program of legislation.
Variance In Senate.
great deal will be heard Of the Sen
ate situation between now and 1916 and
especially in the 1916 campaign. The
hgbt over control Of the Senate Will
internationally be big feature of that
campaign. 1t is worth while consider
ing under what conditions with respect
TO Senate control the 1916 fight will
ne waEed.
Thirty-two members of the Sens.e.
not considering vacancies which may
he caused in the meantime, Will be
elected IN 1916.
The members whose terms expire in
March, 1917, are Ashurst OF Arizona,
Bryan of Florida, Catron Of New Mexi-
co. Chiffon of West Virginia, Clapp OF
Minnesota. Clark OF Wyoming. Cuiber-
son of Texas, du Pont of Delaware.
Hitchcock Of Nebraska, johnson of
Maine. Kern of Indiana, La Toilette
of Wisconsin, Lea Of Tennessee, Lee
Lodge of Massachusetts, McCumber OF
North Dakota, Mclean of Connecticut.
MARITIME OF New Jersey, Myers of Mon-
tana. O'Gorman of New York, Oliver OF
Pennsylvania, Page of Vermont. Pitt
man of Nevada, Poindexter Of Wash
souri,, Sutherland Of Utah. Swanson OF
Virginia Townsend Of Michigan, VIII
liams Of Mississippi, and Works of
California
Seventeen of these are Democrats.
Thirteen are Republicans and two. Poin.
dexter and Clapp, are Progressives
However. in considering the question
whether the Democrats keep control
the Republicans and Progressives may
be grouped together. Republicans win
have to capture over half the Senate
elections OF that year.
This is something which cannot be
accomplished unless the tidal wave to-
ward Republicanism is huge one. 1t
Is possible for the Republicans to regain
the Senate in 1916 if a landslide favors
them.
The Prospects.
The Republicans will have a nghting
{ hsnce to gain q Senator in Arizona.
West Virginia. Nebraska, Maine, In
diana, Maryland, New Jersey, Montana,
New York. Nevada, Ohio, and Missouri.
twelve States. They can carry ali OF
these or nine OF them IL there is another
big slump In their favor. Otherwise.
they cannot. The chances are, az poll
tics go, that they will not, and that.
no matter what may happen as to the
House and the Presidency, the Demo
Gratis will still dominate the north end
OF the Capitol. Just as the Democrats
found il took longer time to get con-
trof Of the Senate than to get control OF
the House, so the Republicans NAV find
u lakes more time to get it back into
their hands. In the elections Just closed
tne rather remarkable spectacle was
OF the Democrats sustaining
rig losses in the House and vet mali
inS gains in the Senate