The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1918-02-21
REPUBLICANS MAY WIN
CONTROL OF THE SENATE
DEATHS LAST YEAR HAVE GIVEN
THE PARTY A FIGHTING
CHANCE.

SUNtNS6s
Five deaths in the United States
senate since May of last year have
whitfield the democratic majority in
that body from II to s. When these
vacancies are filed permanently by
the voters of the states in which the
deaths have occurred, the democrats,
judging by present day indications,
will find themselves in control of the
senate by the narrow majority of four.
This would mean that the republicans
will have more than a fair chance of
regaining control of the senate at the
election next November.
Never before have so many deaths
occurred in the senate in so short
time. Senator Lane of Oregon was
the first to pass away. That was in
May. In the following October, Sena-
tor Husting Of Wisconsin, a demo-
crat, was accidentally shot and killed.
After the converting of congress this
winter, Senator Newlands of Nevada,
democrat; Senator Brady of Idaho, re-
publican, and Senator Hughes of New
Jersey, democrat, passed away in quick
succession.
Four Of Five Democrats.
Four of the five senators were dem
ocrats. Lane was succeeded by re-
publican the Wisconsin vacancy is
still untitled; a democrat succeeded
Newlands, and democrat took the
place Of Brady
Four of the five states in which
deaths have occurred normally are re-
publican, and the republican congress
sional committee confidently looks to
the election of republican senator's in
Oregon, Idaho, Wisconsin and New
Jersey. If this comes about then the
republicans, to gain control of the next
senate, must make a gain of only three
viding they can reflect their present
members, to have a majority of two
in the next senate.
AT the beginning of the present con-
gress, and following the election of
1916, it seemed impossible for the re-
publicans to capture the senate at the
election of 1918. While the demo-
cratic majority was then only u, yet
II of the 80 senators whose terms will
expire on March 4, 1919, come from
the solid south, and that number, to
start with could be set aside as being
beyond republican reach. Now, how
ever different situation is presented,
and the republicans figure that con
troll of the senate is not an impossi-
bility, and it evidently is the intention
of the party leaders to make a try for
it, at the same time making an effort
to control the house as well, where the
present democratic majority is too
close for democratic comfort.
Non Partisan Camoufage.
For some time democrats have been
talking patriotism and non partisan
ship; there has been much talk of
with it the intimation that democrats
and republicans should combine at
the November election to elect to con-
gress men who are loyal, and who are
ism. OF course the democratic talk
was put forth to promote the idea that
republicans should join with the DEM
ocrats in electing democrats to the
democrats would most certainly stand
by the president in the prosecution of
the war" But the records of con-
gress show that President Wilson, in
has had more loyal and more aggres-
sive support from republicans. than
from democrats; that it was republi-
can votes that passed the army draft
law; republican votes that have made
possible the financing of the war, and
that not few necessary war measures
would have failed utterly but for re-
publican support 1t was a republican
WHO Hldue TIE uSnl 1OI tue uTalt law
in the house of representatives when
the democratic chairman of the com
mttee refused to handle the bill: it
was a democratic chairman of the ag-
riculture committee of the senate who
refused to handle the food administra-
ton bill.
This is non-partisan war, as Pres
ident Wilson frequently has said, and
while he may not have meant it in
that way, it is a fact that the war
policies would have failed in congress
If they had not had republican sup
port Being a non partisan war. and
the president favoring a non partisan
conduct of the war, there can be no
administration objection to a republi-
can congress during the closing years
of the second term of President Will
son; that is, no objection on war
grounds.
For Control of Both Houses.
But the republicans have this in
mind; if they are to fight for control
of one branch of congress- thew muSt