Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-09-23
The Tariff Issue.

Mr. Mills speech at Mansfield, Ohio, in
which he swept aside the silver question
| as one of no Importance compared with the
| question of tariff taxation, has commanded
a good deal of attention from Washington
politicians, who have been watching the
course of things in Ohio. This stand
is only surprising to those who imagined
| there had been no change of belief in tn c
Democratic party since the majority of that
party voted at the last session of congress
inn. favor of unrestricted coinage.
Yet Immediately after the I'D journment of
congress Carlisle made no concealment
of his belief that free coinage would be one
of the worst forms of protectionism,
and that it would hurt most the poorer men,
who We're supposed to be most vehement
in demanding it. Like some other Democrats
Carlisle voted for the silver bill because the
support Of that measure served to avert for
the cri zeal moment. the menace OF force
law for controlling Southern elections in the
interest of Republican candidates for con-
gress. One result of the speech of Mills
and his setting aside of the silver question
as q subordinate one to that OF the
tariff, is the conclusion, rather forced,
that the attitude of Mills indicates an al
lance of the friends of Mills with the
friends of Cleveland. 1t would scarcely be
necessary to prove that the friends of
Mills and those of Cleveland are reasonably
agreed about the necessity for tariff TeviS-
ion, and that they were already allied on
that question. Democrats who believe with
Mills that The Democratic party must have
one issue in the next campaign that Will
distinguish it from the Republican party,
and that the issue must be distinctly made,
are sure to say that the issue will be the
tariff. In that respect the friends of Mills
and those Of Cleveland are certainly apart
The assumption of an evening paper that
Mills has undertaken to make
fa,,f no 1lyar n test {
the strength of Cleveland is a more anxious
than wise declaration. 1t would seem
TO indicate some alarm on the part
of one of the opponents of Mills and Il desire
to divert the tide from Mills, for there
would be no danger, if Crisp or Springer
question would become secondary issue.
Mcmillan said to-day in 4 talk on
the subject that the speaker must be
elected as a tariff man and he does not
question the appropriateness of Mills TO be
speaker as representative of that issue.
The nearer the election to the speakership
o oo5 msmDers of breurb Ftyssc
clearly to see that the way to emphasize
adherence to the idea of tariff reform is
to advocate the support of man
who is most couspicuously identified with
the struggle in congress for that reform.
AS this idea takes hold of the party it may
be expected that the individual opponents
of Mills will seek for explanations of his
increasing strength that will not be without
embarrassment to him. But Mills knows
as well as anybody can tell him
that he must make his fight for the speaker
ship by himself, and not for the purpose of
assisting any candidate, willing or unwill-
ing, for the presidency. His defeat will
not indicate in advance the choice of the
Democratic convention, but it is conceiv-
able that it may compel the conclusion in
the public mind as to the consistency of
the Democratic party. The suggestion
that Mills candidacy for the speakership
is made to help some one to the presidency
comes not from the supporters of Mills,
but from the supporters of one Of his op-
ponents.''