The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-07-19
Mr., Mills.

From the st. Louis RepuDhc'
/ One of the most interesting features
of the present session of congress Is the
rise in reputation of Mr.. Mills, OF Texas.
when in the early days of the session, 1t
wss announced shat Mr.. Mills had been
ASSIGNED to the important and Tesponsi-
he bo,ition of chairman of the ways and
means committee, which carries with 1t
the leadership of the house, it was gener-
aIIv regarded as one of the most regret
table result, of Mr.. Clrlisle's policy of
recognizing the Claims to promotion of
old mambers of the various committee
There was very little confidence among
his colleagues, and none with the outside
public, in Mr.. Mills ability to fill the posi-
tiOn acceptably and to rise to the proper
tions of a statesman and party leader.
La fact, during the first month or so
Speaker Carlisle was very severely criti-
cised for putting an incompetent man
rs it was alleged-in Mr.. Morrison's old
place, and there were not lackiog charges
in some quarters that in doing so he had
betraye ed the cause of tariff reform.
These complaints ana criticisms have
long ago ceased. Mr. Carlisles sagdcity,
if sagacty it was, has been justified by
events. and Mr.. Mills has amply vindi-
Gated his right 10 the place assigned him
He is evidently one of these men who rise
to the occasion, and it is now generally
admitted that his management of the.
tariff bill oOtA in the ways and means.
committee and in the house, kas been
marked by kill tact and vigor. It IS
largely due to his iudicious management
and TO hi7 avoidance of the pitfalls
that were digged i'll his path 10y the Cp-
position that the passage of the so-called
Mills bill through the house is now practi-
cal!y assured
Besides this, he has made more reputa-
tiCn as speaker and debater than any
other man in the house this session ex-
cept Congressman Breckenridge, of Ken
lucky. Only two speeches that have been
made in the tariff debate have equalled
that with which he opened it-those of
Mr.. Wilson, Of West Virginia, and Speaker
Carlisle. In the wordy warfare which
has marked the discussion of the bill day
by day, he has shown amplitude of
knowle dye, intellectual alertness readi-
ness of retort, AMI an admirable temper.
In very few of his collisions with Mr..
Reed, ths leader of the oppC sition, has he
come off second best, and under great
provocation he has shown wise self
control.
His speech the other day at the Tam
many celebration in New York was with
out exception, for the effect it will have
upon public opinion, the best that has
yet been delivered in the campaign. 1t
was entirely devoid of all attempts at
oratory, and yet it made so plaiu, by apt
argument and telling illustration, the con-
servative character of the Mills bill as a
cautious measure of tax reduction, that
the attempt to fix upon it the charge of
being a free trade measure was Then and
there thWart ID. 1t is no wonder that an
enthusiastic Tammany leader who heard
it declared thar the speech was worth
10000 votes in New York city alone. 1t
will be worth many thousand votes
throughout the country, and, in fact, the
democrats need no ntner weapon with
which to defend the Mills bill as meas
ure calculated to promote the public well
fare.
Texas hes reason to be proud of many
of her sons, but of none more than of Mr..
Mills. The attempt of the proteotionists
to stir up discord in his district and to
weaken his popularity should be answered
by returning HIN to congress with an
unprecedented and overwhelming major
ity.