Telegram-herald., 1891-11-18
Hills MADE 4 MISTAKE
70 TARIFF REVISION WILL BE XlDE
&c Oassfds lnAssatial LsaAsPs caD Pre-
vsss ut-asw The Candidates are
Saaarisg The nssises - Ss-
cure support

WAsHIseros. Nov. 1.-THE Speaker
MP campaign 10 undoubtedly son.
fes there are lees than thirty demo
ratio congressman In the city. All OF
ne speakership candidates, however.
ave arrived. The present week will
be spent IN preparation for the active
campaign which will be fully inaugu-
rated in ten days tune. A peculiarly
as been noticed among the arrivals Of
congressman in snat new members are
missing. IL 10 noticeable that the
srangcr members from the west and
south are unusually slow in arriving.
The congressman from q distance are
generally the first to appear before the
Incoming Of . new congress. but almost
all the representatives now here reside
in neighborlng states. The cause oi
this unprecedented coyness on the part
Of the westerners aid southerpers IL
not far to seek. They realize that they
are new TO the business. and know thai
they will be pouuced on immediatci,
upon their arrival, and solicited cajole,
cr dragooned by one or the other OF th.
With q rare exhibition of mingled
tsmlilty and shrewdnees, therefore.
they remain absent until tune when
they can make the r presence worth
something To themselves. When th
distribution of committee prizes come
they snrewdly figure that an earl,
promise runs chance of being = de-
preclated com, and they count upo.4
the probability of enhancing the valu
of the reward In proportion to the fresh-
ness Of the pledge. Mills apparenti,
has the lead, but as the canvass pro-
crosses II is evident that he is IN grea
danger. The field is against him. Their.
are sIgus already of u general comb
nation against him. The events
OF the last SIX month have
so shaped themselves a. t.
bring the Texan into the position OF Mt
leading candidate almost In spite oi
himself. At the close Of the last session
It Il ID not seem likely that this woulu
be the case. With the proceedings Of
the Flfty-first Congress fresh in mifid
his prospects were not SO bright as thost
OF the cooler-headed and more adr0li
Crisp. But ali tnat 10 changed. The
chief element of doubt at tue present
stage OF the canvass 10 whether thu
very circumstances which combined 30.
give Mills his advantage will not tel,
against him ia the end by c0ncentrating
and inspiring the opposition.
ln the opinion OF many or the shrewd.
est and most influential men in tslt
party Mr.. Mills has made serious tad
tical mistake. 8, long as he stood as
the embodiment of the abstract ides
OF free trade his position was strong
On that issue alone no single candidate
could have hoped to make euccessfti
assault upon his position. But he bal
made tile mistake from personal point
of view OF subordlnatlng the presens
contest to the apparent demands OF tn
presidential canvass = year hence. Il
has attempted 10 make himself not onl,
the representative of great political
principle on which his party is not united
Tut the exponent OF view OF party
policy which must in the nature o.!
things give rise to serious difference
OF oplnlon. Mr.. Mills is as thorough
going an advocate of free silver coinag'
oa general principles as any democra
IN the United States. HIS proposal 10
delay lte consideration Is dictated sole
ly by motives Of party expediency, anG
as to questions OF mere party expedien
cy there are = good many members o.
the House who feel that they are fully
AS capable o. formulating programm,
as the gentleman from Texas. As 1t Is
there are not wanting those who predlci
MS success only on condition OF som
sort OF an understanding with the rad
Ical silver men. Mr.. Mills has laid hm
SELF open TO criticism by premalurels
declaring ms position on another Ques
ton OF mere party policy.
1 icre are great many members o
the next house, and some very infiuen
tial lead, rs outide, believe it Houl,
oe serious blunder to attempt to form
ulatc a measure Il general tariff revis
I ION. They recall the disastrous result
OF the previous attempt IN this direc-
ton of under tue guidance of Mr.. Mills,
and they are not anxious for repetl-
,lon OF that experience. Mr.. Springer
has been shrewd enough to place hini
self AZ the head If this element. and he
Is IN position TO create y great deal oi
trouble for Mills before hegets through.
Mr.. Mills, by pledging himself so 500
10 agcnerai bill, has weakened his posi-
ton with considerable section Of bis
party without bringing himself Al ac-
cersion OF strength from any quarter
IL 10 noticeatie that during the pei
Iiminary canvass Mr.. Crisp has care
fully reffAined from identifying his
candidacy with any peculiar scheme o,
policy. He has made no mistak es, and
has been sbrewd enough to place HIM
self in . position where be can profit by
those mistakes which may have been
made by his principal opponent. ]
my combination succeeds IN breaking
dills' hold, Crisp 10 the man VINO y
most likely to profit by it. lie has mol
ade himself obnoxious to the silver
nen. He has not pledged hmsclf |
my particular line of tariff revision
md IL occasion dsmsuds he can declsr'
ntsseif as ardentiy in love with th.
General prInc.pse OF tariff reform o.
lilis himseif.