Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-24

I he had desired that free coinage should be
one Of the issues IN the rext presidential
election.
.sThe silver party is no longer in an ag-
gressive position; It is not even holding its
own against the advocacy Of 3 true money
| standard A better sentiment IS gaining
ground in both parties. This, therefore, is
the time, in Gen. Grants phrase, TO push
things.' With SO distinguished 4 silver
| advocate asSMr. Mills assuring the country
that free coinage will not help the people,
we have a starting point from whichrwe
may push the silver mon to the wall The
opponents OF free coinage have an opportu-
nifty to put an end 70 the whole agitation by
administering a crushing defeat 10 every
candidate of any party and in any state who
favors the further use of silver as money,
and there is no time like the present for
forcing the issue and winning q complete
victory"
The same issue Of the Honest Dollar
contains a quotation from Mr.. Mills
speech at Mansfield, Ohio, September
10, 1891, headed 'Mr. Mills on Free
Coinage" These are significant ex-
tracts:
81 do not believe that the free coinage Of
silver will relieve the country from the dis
tress which it is now suffering 1t
must be apparent TO everyone who has care
fully examined the subject that opening the
the minis TO the free coinage Of silver will
not dispel the cloud that is now darkening
the land. Let US not be deceived by super
fetal appearances. 1t is not the scarcity OF
money in the country. it is the scarcity Of
money in the pockets of the people who
earn II that produces the distress
1t Is not the small circulation, it is the
small distribution that plaques us.'
The Philadelphia Ledger, Republi-
can paper, thus commented on Mr..
Mills Mansfield speech:
1.-THE real significance Of what Mr.. Mills
said at Mansfield, on the 18th inst, would
seem to be that, speaking for the most rep
resentative minds of his party, he served
notice upon such of its members as had
yielded to the silver heresy that 1t was time
to recsnt and to abandon their demands for
free coinage, unless they were ready to be
overwhelmed in the elections of this year
and the next by the almost common senti-
ment in favor of honest money. Mr., Mills
and his associates are quite intelligent
enough to perceive that the drift of national
sentiment is in favor of an honest currency,
of standard of value which is recognized
by the whole world as good. 1t is the tardy
recognition of this important fact which
has induced Mr.. Mills, as the spokesman of
his party, to declare that free coinage is no
longer Democratic issue. If Mr.. Mills
declaration is one of sincere abandonment
of the unlimited silver heresy, it is one
solid and big with good sense"
These extracts show the opinion held
abroad as to Mr.. Mills attitude on the
subject of silver, and the basis of that
opinion. 1t will be but matter Of a
few days until the Honest Dollar and
the other organs of tie single standard
will proclaim triumphantly that Texas
is taken out of the silver column, and
made at least doubtful state on that
issue. And they may be right about
it. 1t is significant that the Texas pa
pers which have warmly espoused the
cause of either Mr.. Mills or Mr.. Cleve-
land have deemed it necessary as an in
cident of such championship 20 protest
against the agitation of the silver issue
in the present campaign, and many of
them have already gone so far as to
assert, with Mr.. Mills, that there is no
substantial benefit to be derived from
free silver coinage.
An incident of extreme significance
was the failure of Mr.. Mills to register
his vote upon the test ballot on the
Bland silver bill, taken last week. He
was sick at the time, but the device of
pairing offers an easy method of ex-
pressing the sentiments of a member
when he is unable to be present in the
flesh.
Popular sentiment crystalizes rapidly
once start is made in new direction.
If Texas is to continue in sympathy
with its sister states of the South and
West in the demand for more money,
must be done to emphasize
its attitude. To be sure, Senator Coke
will still be in the senate to speak and
work for silver, but 1t is very we'll I'M
derstood that his seat is to be actively
contested with the assistance of the
same forces that have been largely in
strumental in the success of Mr.. Mills.
Is Texas for or against free silver?
It seems inevitable, in the present
aspect of things, that that question
should enter into the coming campaign
in the election OF all legislative officers.
The members of the Twenty-second
who stand for reelection,
will certainly be called upon to express
themselves on the subject.