Signs Of The Times

In their relation to national politics the congressional elections were far more significant than the state elections. The voter in all the northern and western states, where the result was in doubt, and where special questions were uppermost, carefully distinguished national from local issues. The tremendous inroads of the democrats into the overwhelming republican majority in New York in the contest for governor, resulting almost in the election of Coler; the reduction of the republican pluralities  in Michigan, Wisconsin, Delaware, Pennsylvania and other states, will not be looked upon, even by the democrats, as bearing strongly upon national policy. But it is otherwise in respect to the congressional elections. Here the campaign was fought out necessarily on national lines, and the result is especially gratifying to the democrats.

While Chairman Griggs' estimate that the next house would be democratic was not fulfilled, the heavy gains made in practically every state where there was a fighting chance show that the minority party has made a score practically approaching to a victory. In the present house, consisting of 357 members, the democrats have 151 and the republicans 198, with eight belonging to other parties. By the new basis twenty-nine congressional districts were added. Many of the added districts were safely republican, making the odds against the democrats very great. The results show the democrats will have 178 members, twenty-seven more than the last congress, while the republicans will have only nine more than in the past congress. These democratic gains were made largely in such states as New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Indiana, and Michigan.

The complexion of the new house indicates a radical change in sentiment all over the country. It shows beyond any doubt that thousands of voters are not satisfied with the trust record of the administration and that the drift is strongly wih (sic) reunited democracy. The probable issues upon which the next national campaign will be fought have been clearly differentiated in this election. The indorsement (sic) of the stand taken by the democrats is unmistakable. It has appealed substantially to the entire country, and with the drift that has set it, maintained two years longer, the return of the democrats to power is not only possible but highly probable.  - Saginaw News.