The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-23
Mills HOSTS Again the Flag OF Defeat.

Mills HOSTS Again the Flag OF Defeat.
The explanation OF Mr.. M1LLs's extreordi-
nary performance mt Mansfield on Saturday
night should be sought for In the present
condition Of his own canvass for the Speak
crship Of the House OF Representatives Of
the Ffty-second Congress. rather than In
the requirements OF the Democratic party
IN its Ohio campaign.
For weeks and months the Texan has seen
his prospects waning before the growing
importance OF Judge CRISP as candidate
for Speaker This Is particularly the case
in the South and Southwest. where Mr..
Mills had expected to encounter no rival
strong enough to be troublesome. For the
sake of the vote OF the Southern and Vest
ern delegations in the next House. Mr..
MILLS had gone SO far as to base his
pretcnsons chiefly upon his record rs an
advocate OF the FREQ coinage OF silver.
showing back the tariff issue. and his his
torc services to tho cause Of free trade. to
secondary place in his political autobioR-
raphy. This brought him for time into
antagonism with his old partner. tho Hon.
GROVER CLEVELAND. who kept harping on
the old issue to the exclusion OF everything
else: but Mr. MILLS apparently cared little
for that SO long as 1t seemed that he could
command the Southern and Western votes
as tho great Southern representative OF
free silver.
But the movement In favor OF Judge CRISP
for Speaker has gone on steadily In the
South and Southwest in spite Of Mr. MILLs's
frantic efforts to call attention to himself as
the free silver leader. He has waved the
argent shield in vain before the eyes OF his
fellow SOuthrOns. It was only last week.
for example. that the Ne,c Orleans Times
Democrat reported Gen. CATCHINGs OF Mis-
sissippi as predicting that every vote Of that
State in Congress would be cast in caucus for
CRISP next December. In the same way Mr..
MILLS has witnessed the almost grotesque
failure OF the attempts of his constant
friend. Major JONES Of the ST. Louis Re
public. to stem tho swelling tide OF Judge
CEIsP's popularity with the Missouri Dem
ocrats. On all sides In tho South, where he
Is best known, the Corsicana claimant has
heard himself described as statesman I'M
fit by temperament. and inadequate In
ability. to exercise the duties Of tho high Of
flee to which he aspires. His pose as free
coinage man has not helped him In the very
he expected to promote his interests. In
plain English, Mr.. Mills has been forced to
haul down his frce silver flag and hoist
something else In its place.
He has done precisely what might have
been expected OF person OF his narrow
shrrw,lncss and rather ordinary intellec-
tual resources. The indiscrction Of the
managers Of the Democratic canvass in
Ohio in inviting Mr.. Mills to speak in that
State has given him an opportunity: and
the discomfort OF Mr.. CLEVELAND under his
cruel treatment by Major MCKINLEY and
the Republican leaders. has afforded
MILLS hint which no is not slow to
turn to account. The Texas candidate for
Speaker has torn off his silver trapplngs
and como ont In sight OF the country as a
free trade candidate, pure and simple: ap-
pcar!ng incidentally IA the heroic rescuer
of GROVER CLEVELAND from the elnbarrass-
ing position which he has occupied ever
since Major MCKINLEY kidnapped that
plump person and carried him Off for exhl-
bition upon tn" Republican stump us a wit
ness against Governor CAMPBELL and the
Democratic platform.
Tho Mansfield speech OF tho Hon. ROGER
~ Mii.LS, u''IaTlnp lnub Ille silver issue Ia
of no consequence and that the tariff issue
Is tho sole Issue, was, for reasons personal
TO Mr., MILLS himself. about as humIliating
performance rs ever was witnessed in
American politics. In that respect,
however. it is of small public interest.
In another view. it Is humorous In
tho extreme. In tho face Of this
years abundant harvest, insuring 10
the country IL long season Of such prosper
ity rs 1t has never before experienced and
making happy and hopeful every citizen
who can SEQ an inch beyond his nose, tho
Texas free trader has the astonishing AL
dacity to tell the American people that
they are in "the valley Of shadows" that
ain every part OF the land. north. east,
south. and west. there Is widespread dis
content and every manifestation Of I'M
rest" that complaint Is coming from
every quarter that tho life struggle Is
growing harder and tho way is
growing darker" that I've ourselves
have brought all of our troubles TO
our own doors; the guilt is ours and the
atonemcnt must be made by ourselves"
and that the only way out of =" tho valley of
shadows" the one means Of escape from
the scourgs that is tormcnting the land
and driving contentnent out of SO many
homes" il to rally again around the old
banner OF free trade. under which the Hon.