Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-10-11
Mr. Mills. of TNxas.

To the part which MI. MILLS. OK 1exes,
was playing in the campaign still pending
in Ohio We recently called the attention Of
our readers. II the Charlottesville Chroni-
Gle is not mistaken We went too far and
charged him with being influenced by i'm
proper motives. And yet we fear that
there was too much truth in tho charge.
A year OF more ago We stated that in our
opinion Judge CRfsr, Of Georgia, was the
best qualified OF all the Democratic candi-
dates for the Office of Speaker of the ma
tional House of Representatives. We ex-
pressed this opinion upon the strength of
tho official reports Of numerous discus
sions which had taken place In that body.
We had observed for ourselves that no
man in the last House Of Representatives.
could pretend 10 consider himself the
equal of Judge CRISP in knowledge Of par
hamcntary law, nor in the ability to sus-
tain by speech his decisions on such ques-
tons. wo do not regard Mr.. MILLS "a q
foensn worthy Of Judge CnIsp's steel at
all. He was forced into prominence in
connection with the tariff question just as
Mr.. AcKISLEY was---tho one as the Demo-
cratic champion Of Democratic bill. and
the other as the Republican champion of q
Republican bill.
We have not been at oil inclined to press
Judge CsisP's claims TO the speakership.
On the contrary, wo have, so far as we can
recollcct, abstained from saying q word IN
his favor except IN tho most careless and
perfunctory manner. We were. there
fore. little surprised to find the Char
lottesville Chronicle taking us to task. as
we have said above, for having lin issue
after issue" of the DISPATCH criticised
MIR. MrLLs's recent position on the silver
question:" and attributed to him impro-
per motives. That paper says that II the
whole West aud South are wild for free
coinage, as the DISPATCH claims, 1t seems
strange that Mr. Mills should 60 to Ohio
and belittle Inc silver question as an issue
in the campaign pending there. Seeing
that the New York S,.s, paper of wide
circulation and numerous readers, has
already placed before the public the facts
of the case. tho Chronicle will excuse US
for attempting TO justify our charge
against Mr.. Mills. We quote from the
Slp. as follows:
"For the sake Of tho vote OF the southern ard
western delegations In the next House Mr.. Mills
had gone 20 far to base his prctentions chiefly
upon his record as an advocate OF the free COIN
age o. silver, showing back the tarih ISSUE ana
his historic services TO the Of free trade TO
/ q secondary place in his political autobiography.
"But the rnoyeln ent ia favor Of Judge Crisp
fy ~ n
and scuthwcs; in spite Of Mr.. Millss frantic
Efforts to call attention TO himself as the free
silver leader.
"0n all sides IN the South where he is best
known Mr.. Mills has heard himself described as
| a statesman unit by temperament and made
quate in ability to exercise tho duties Of the
high ofice to which he aspircs. His pose as a
free-coinage man has not helped him in The very
sections OF the country whore alone it conld be
expected TO promote his interests. In plain Eng
lish, Dir. Mris has been forced TO haul down his
froe-vilyer tag and hoist something else Ill It's
place.
"The Texas candidate for Speaker has torn OF
his silver trappings and come ont In sight OF tho
ccuntry as q free-trade candidate, pure and
simple.
"The Mansfield speech OF the Hon. Roger Q.
NILS. declaring tnut tne bhFtI tssAo 10 vi h'
consequence and that the tariff issue Is the sole
issue, was, for reasons personal TO Mr. Mills
himself, about as humlliaiing performance as
ever was witnessed IN American politics"
II these statements are true. it would be
difficult for any good Democrat to be too
severe in his denunciations of 80 selfish
and unpatriotic q Democratic leader.
They explain why Mr.. MILLS dropped the
silver question. 1t is impossible for US TO
know whether the statements are true or
not. We do not think it will be necessary
for US to say anything more concerning
Mr.. NuLs's candidacy for the Office of
Speaker If our Charlottesville contem-
porary will consult Mr. OFERRALL, its dis
,inguished representative in the lower
house Of Congress, that paper will find
that even tho Seventh Virginia district
will support for Speaker not MILLS, but
CRISP. This result will content US for a
time. When the distinguished Georgian
shall have assumed the gavel Mr.. MILLs's
prominence will have come TO an end.