St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-02-08
Total. G: value
THE MJRAT OF TEXAS.
A Sketch Of Roger Mills, One of the Remark
able Men of the South.


Special Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-There is not q
more striking figure in the American con-
gress than Hon. Roger Q. Mills, of Texas.
Tall, dark, deep chested, wide shouldered,
keen, piercing eyes, like Lara's, that dared
you to forget, full face-the lowest portion
of which betrays great energy and will
power-a large intellectual lobe, finely
modelled head, a somewhat military carriage
-heired from the dark aud melancholy
struggle through which he fought with re-
nowa. Ii called upon to criticise his own
picture, be might remark in the very words
of Mscaulay and still be very modest, when
asked his opinion of his own portrait: at is
face of boldness and frankness; OF con-
siderable mental powers; a physiognomy not
unlike that of Voltaire aud Charles James
Fox; | am not unwilling to have such a
physiognomy."
He is now in the noon of life and the ma
turity of his powers. His temperament. bis
intellectual energy and vision, his attain
ments. his ready resource, is voice, pres
euce and all, stamp the statesman and the
orator that he is. A fine lawyer, he has been
returned 10 congress for fourteen years by
reclamation. His best energies have been
spent In the service OF his state. Early in
the last war he went out in the command of
ten thousand, and came back the colon el of
a pitiful and melancholy remnant OF four
hundred men. He returned alive but shot
TO pieces. In the threatening hour of re-
construction, when open opposition endan-
gered personal liberty, and often life, his
eloquence and courage did much to
DRIVE FROM THE SEATS OF POWER
in the south the Egyptian satraps and petty
ceuturions whose despotism broke her
spirit and despoiled her people
aud whose nsgitious corruption.
when force was ameliorated, almost
murdered her independence. He is among
the olderst members, in point Of service, in
the house, and has been longest in continu
GUS service of all the Texas delegation. He
is universally esteemed in congress, and
never fails to command attention when he
speaks. He is loyal, but liberal Democrat,
pronounced free trader, man Of great
personal magnetism, brilliant converse
iionalist, and, what is rarer still, a good lis
teuer: warm in his friendships, open in his
hostility, but just little too fiery at times
as, when ne told political! opponent at a
public meeting. he had TO retract SANDER
knife. He has never learned the politicians
trick. His aspirations and endesvors reach
the level of craftsmanship. Too deeply en-
gagged in the discharge OF his trust TO become
familiar with schemes and speculations to
strike the popular current, he has, yet,
by the force Of genius and integrity,
made the current follow him. His popular
it's has never waned. An enthusiastic sup
porter recently profanely declared that ''if
Christ and Roger @. Mills were candidates
for congress would vote against the Savior. ="
He and President Garfield we're warm per-
sonal friends, and we're the most diligent
students in congress. His leisure Is nov
spent in the midst Of his family and his
books. The form OF his reading is omnivor-
Gus. He mingles poetry with statistics, Mac
aulay's essays with the reconiite philosophy
Of Mil, dissertation on the tariff With an
ode from Horace. History is, however, his
special fayorite. Like all students and
statesmen he appreciates the truth that his
tory is only philosophy teaching by exam
piles, and that by an attenti7e study aud ap-
probation of the past be is enabled to
FORECAST TIE FUTURE
and ct himself for the lofty aim and duty OF
the legislator. Few men in public
life to-day are so profoundly
versed in political economy. Adam
Smith, Nautilus, Bentham. Mil, Ricardo,
Bastiat and other eminent writer's in this 6eld
are familiar companions. His speech on the
tariff was Justly regarded as one Of the most
luminous expositiOus Of that great subject,
aud his per0ration admired as one Of the
fines; pieces Of rhetoric heard 10 congress for
years. Not only widely read III bon the tariff,
he has spoken upon the subjects Of the elec-
toral com mission, banks, the public debt, the
currency, railroad regulation, frontier de-
feuse and Al the great questions that have
been agiiafsd in congress during bis time in
public life. he Is too keen 10 be juggled and
too manly TO be unjust. Frank
aud fearless, he despises ali forms Of
hypocrisy and shutting. Honest snd inde-
pendent, be refuses 70 follow, blIndly,
the lead Of party, or 10 barter one term TO
secure another. During long public ca
reer there has never been = whisper against
hrs name He il poor, hut like the typical
southerusr, proad-aos vzIn--and one Of
the aost appro1chabie men living. he has
lived in Texas nearly forty years AL bis
worldly Interests are there Il Is the birth
place Of MS children. Hfs dead are buried
in her border. His zm hftiou is to serve her
Interest and DC fdeatisea ~tth Der fame
The en- pire state a. the south IL fortunate in
her gallant and gifted representative