Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-13
ANp RAYETN.

were held, that the Prohibitlonists In the
Ninth district would not leave stone uu-
turned to defeat the return OF Roger @.
Mills to congress. At that time It was
known that strong pressure was being
brought to bear on Mr.. Holman OF Cald-
wei, TO induce him to take the field
In opposition to Mills. Homan is an able
man and his integrity Of character rem
ders him inyulnerable so far as personal
assaults are concerned. He would have
polled the full Prohibltionist vote, all the
Republicans, and likewise the votes Of
the Disconnected, sore.headed Democrats.
Great hopes were built, in certain quar-
tiers, on Homan, but they were dIssp-
pointed By his declInation. However
confident his friends might have been,
Holman was not willing TO make the race,
and tina. settled it. Then DR.. Rankin, OF
Groesbeeek, who used 10 come out every
two years as Greenback candidate
against Mills, came forward again lie
dropped his Greenback garh this time, and
announced himself as an 'lndependent
labor candidate" whatever that may
mean. In Rankin's case it means that he
Is laboring very hard to get into congress.
He has not abjured his Greenback theo-
ries lie has merely put them out Of
sight for the time being, as q matter OF
erpedieucy, which Is perfectly well I'M
derstood by his Greenback friends. He
expects to get heir votes, as in the
past, and be will get them. DR..
Rankin, we are credibly informed,
is member of the Farmers
alliance. He never misses gathering OF
the alliance, whether 1t is a picnic or a
funeral, and is counting confidently upon
alliance votes. How many he will get is
rather problematical, but undoubtedly he
will get some. Then the "Auti-Mo-
nopoly" clubs in the district made Rank,
ms cause their own, and have Endorsed
him right and left The Republicans, too,
took their cue. Two years ago they had
Judge Osterhout of Bolton, straight
out Republican, IN the field, and gave him
over 5000 votes. They have kept him out
Of the race this year, and 1t may be set
down as something virtually assured that
nearly every Republican in the district
who goes to the polls will vote for Rank.
In. Meanwhile, the Prohibitionists waited
and let events take their course. They
saw all the antl-Mllls and anti-Demo.
cratic elements aligniDg under the Rankin
banner, and then they called a convention
at Waco. 1t was not largely attended,
but 1t accomplished the purpose for which
it was called by declaring against
Mills, and urging Prohibltonists
throughout the district to vote for
Rankin. The latter has never claimed
TO be Prohibltlonist, but he has at east
not antagonized them, and he is trying to
capture Mills seat In congress These,
then, are the elements supporting Rank
in, the Republicans, the Greenbackers,
a sprinkling of the men who belong to
the Farmers alliance Call rural yoters) \,
a sprinkling Of the Knights of Labor
tall town voters), the Prohlbitionists
and the sore-headed Democrats. 1t is
a heterogeneous mass, but it has
numbers and votes. Will it hold to-
getherY We think it will, because
there Is no especial incentive for dis.
bandment. Is 1t strong enough to beat
Mills5 Most assuredly not, If the Demo.
Gratis in the district do their duty. But
J there should not be lethargy among
the Democrats. If few thousands Of
: them, believing Mills Is lnvinclole, stay
at home, they will lnd that Mills usua
majority will be materially cut down. Al
a matter Of fact, his chances for election
may be imperllled. DR.. Rankin has fig
ured 1t out, and claims that il even 250t
voters who voted for Mills in 1888.
change their votes and cast them
against him next month, he Rankin,
will be elected. 1t is best to not tax,
a y chances, and the Democrats in tn,
Ninth district should see that Mills ma
jority Is kept up to the old standard. Al
matter of party policy It L. lmportan
! that the Texas Democracy shall make
strong showing this year, as an encour
asement to the Democratic brethren il
close and doubtful states, who are pre-
pairing for the greater struggle in 1888
1t Is not time to let the news go Nortl
that Democratic Texas is weakening
Mills has served his constituents faith
fully and honorebly for more than lively,
: years. He is an able man. His tlght 70
: tariff reform and against monopolies an,
" burdens of all kinds justly entitle him t,
the confidence and gratitude of tn
people of Texas, and especially the agri
= culturists, whose cause he has made hi
own The only wonder is that any Texa
/! farmer, who is a Democrat, no matter /
: he Is member OF the Farmers alliance
: Autobiography club, or even II he is
~ Prohibltionist, should be found onposinl