The Washington critic., 1888-01-07

~
MILLS AND A NEW YORK MEMBER.
and the nominating conventions. The
Republicans have opened big head
quarters here, and they pay, Iventure,
at least $500 month for their rooms.
They have taken the whole house,
which was formerly occupied by the
Chinese Legation, and they have plas-
tered its walls with photographs and
portraits Of their most noted leaders.
The Democrats are doing no less work,
and number Of quiet councils have
been held, and the wires have t1,1
laid which reach to the uttermost
parts of the United States.
In the meantime itseems as though
the tariff is the thing, and the selec-
tion Of Roger Q. Mills as chairman
of the Ways and Means Committee
has been one of the happiest thoughts
Carlisle ever had. The Speaker of
House is q very good judge of men,
and he knows Mr.. Mills from long
acquaintance in public life The two
have been together for decade, and
their relations have been such that
one might almost say of the other
that 'he was the half of his soul"
Mills has more Of the characteristics of
leader than Morrison. lie is tall,
straight and big chested. The dis
tance between the top button of his
high vest and the small of his back is
longer than the width Of the shoulders
Of the ordinary man, and he has a
biceps, which, if put into training,
would knock down an OK. He is a
fighter, too, and goes into this Con-
gressional struggle with a brain trained
| to warfare. He was the head of the
Anti-Prohibition party in Texas last
fall, and he led his party to victory.
| he IS A SUCCESSFUL MAN,
and one who inspires confidence. He
is true as steel, and he sticks to his
friends and loves them. Notwith-
standing his long Congressional career,
he is only moderately well to do, and
| the house which he had bought at his
home in Texas years ago, Just before
he was elected to Congress, has never
been occupied by him.
took a good look at him as he stood
in the House to-day His fists were
ON his elbows and his eyes were trav-
cling oyer his followers on the Demo
cratic side of the chamber. One OF
the New York members was talking
to him, and doubt not the question
was as to whether Mills could hold his
forces in order. He did not appear tc
be alarmed, and his rosy face shone
with good humor. He does not lose
his head easily, and he is possessed ot
the demon of work. He is a student
o,and he tells me he is notan extrem
ist on tariff questions. Hosays his be
lief is the same as that of the lead
ing political economists of to-day, anC
that the same views are taught in al
the colleges. He has, during his Con
gressional life, workedfor ends rather
than means, and does not contend fol
triles. He is ready for anything thai
will bring about reduction of the
tariff and the surplus, and, as far as
can learn, his mind is broad one
He has very bright wife and a mum
Der Of gifted children, some of whom
are grown up and married. He live,
at Corsicana, Texas, and, like most
Congressman from his State, thinks
there is none other like it in the
Union.
Sam Randall, with his usual ubiqui.
tousness, is one of the leading figures
in all coteries, and he formed part ol
a curious sandwich at Senator Nc
Pherson's dinner not long ago. HC
sat on the same side of the table as
Speaker Carlisle, and the two were
separated by the long form of Senator
Sherman. Sherman said that he wa
put there TO keep the peace, and h,
was indeed the butter which made tn,
two slices Of Democratic bread move
easily upon each other. There was
no loud talking or acrimonious dis
cussion, and from the jokes that wer,
banded, and the taffy that was greed
lily sucked, one would not have sup
posed that anything but the friendli
est relations existed between the tw
great leaders.
HENRY CABOT LODGE
is one of the new Members fror
Massachusetts,, and he is looked upo
as a strong addition to the Republics
side in tariff discussion. He is
bright-eyed young fellow, and not ba
looking, but his brain is more note
| than his beauty, and his studies of tn
tariff have been made in connectio
with extensive biographical research
He wrote life of Alexander Hami
ton, and he has written a biograph
of Daniel Webster for the America
Statesmen Serles," and when he take
J the floor his tongue will drop tart
and financial facts as that of the goo
little girl in the fairy tale droppe
pearls or as the bad little girl droppe
toads. 1t is pity that we have M
Frank Hurd here to answer him, fC
} Hurd has the Golden Clubs arg
ments at his tongues end, and he is
statesman with the mouth of a
orator.
Abe Hewitt will also be missed i
: this discussion, but the South wi
furnish new brains in the person {
Breckenridge Of Kentucky and No
wood of Georgia, and there is niue
undeyeloped strength among the ne
members.
Tam Rapl does n deal of stndviI