Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-24
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The Texas legislature accepts the
assurances of Mr.. Mills friends-net OF
Mr.. Mills himself-that he is for the
free coinage of silver as a present and
important issue, and with that under
standing will elect him to succeed Mr.,
Chiffon in the senate. 1t will not be
contended here, we presume, that Mr..
Mills could have been elected if ma
jority Of the legislature had been con-
WINGED that he had even wavered in his
support OF silver. Yet it is easy to fore
see that the advocates of the gold
standard will hail his election as a
great triumph for them, and as an in
dication th25 the West is not so solid
for silver coinage as has been claimed.
They made stand at New Orleans re-
Gently in opposition to a resolution in
favor of silver coinage, and, strangely
enough, succeeded in capturing several
Texas votes. The impression that is
likely to be spread abroad by Mr., Mills
easy victory is indicated by this tele-
gram from Washington
NEARLY every congressman from Texas
has prepared q speech favoring the bill for
free coinage, and desires to be heard there
on when the bill comes up next week. At
the same time some feel tribe dubious as
to the propriety of that course in view of
the fact that the Texas legislature now in
session, which is supposed to represent
popular sentiment, seems disposed TO elect
al h, l., ga.-, -
retiring The silver issue for the presentand
also champions an anti-silver candidate for
president.
It is known that Col Mills has hereto
fore voted and spoken for free coinage, but
for the past year his position has been for
subordinating silver to the tariff. Hence the
probable action of the legislature leaves
representatives in doubt as to the real
wishes of the Texas people in this matter.
Silver men from all parts of the South
and West express astonishmentatth the senti-
ment of the Texas legislature, as reported
in the papers, having considered Texas as
one of the most uncompromising silver
states in the Union. These members are
the more astonished, knowing that If the
question is now relegated and an anti-silver
Democrat elected president, there is no
further hope of ever winning the fight,
though they have the courage of their con-
victions and mean TO keep up the battle to
the end"
If even the representatives of the
people of Texas are cast in doubt as to
the temper of their constituents on the
silver issue, by the circumstances Of
Mr.. Mills candidacy for and election
to the senate, much more exaggerated
will be the triumph OF the anti-silver
cause in the eyes of the enemies of
silver. Their conception of the mean
ing OF Mr.. Mills success may best be
expressed by themselves. The "Honest
Dollar" a weekly publication issued
from Boston, Chicago and Atlanta, for
gratuitious circulation in behalf of the
single gold standard, said in its leading
editorial of October 3, 1891:
can election result that shows clearly
that the people are not in favor Of free
coinage would take the spirit out of the sill
yer party and possibly it would render the
veto of the president, if 1t should come to =,
that, a tinality.
Moreover, the present time, when poll
ticians who see the signs OF the times are
front, is precisely the opportunity
to press forward and make the victory COM
plete. The most remarkable instance of q
change is in the case Of Mr.. Mills of Texas,
who has been one of the most persistent
and consistent free coinage men, land who /
now says plainly that he IS convineed that
free coinage will not greatly help the farm
ers, laborers and debtors generally. We
are not much concerned with the fact that
be takes this position in order to emphasize |
his opinion that silver questions should be |
to the tariff issue. Nor do We |
fail TO notice that while he gives so little |
Importance 10 free coinage as remedy for |
evils existing he does not say that he shah |
hereafter vote against free coinsRe. The 1
interesting fact is that he acknowledges the /
full rehabilitation Of silver 70 be a matter |
Of extremely small importance to the onlt |
people for whose benefit any statesman caa |
urge it. If it cnnaet help the /
aboring classes it will be an advantage |
1nly TO the mine owners, and no |
Tan who loves his country isl
,oing to take step that lsads,te the de-
OF the currency merely to give
rood market 10 the ownefs OF silver mines
SIr. Mills is not fully ecpverted, but he has i
yiven up the bnly ground 90 which be can
airly urge free coinage. As q shreWd |
politician be would not have done 50 unlsss
ie hla seer clearly thasrtlae silver azitatioRsl