Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-03-19


standard will hail his election as a
great triumph for them, and as an in
dication that the West is not so solid
for silver coinage as has been claimed.
They made stand at New Orleans re-
Gently in opposition to 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 a 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 a trifle 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
Col. Mills, who is known to be in favor of
retiring the silver issue for the present and
also champions an anti-silver candidate for
president.
1t 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 establishment at 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 thai if the
question is now relegated and an anti-silver
Democrat elected president, there is 10
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" 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 it should come to
that, tnality.
Moreover, the present time, when poll
ticisns who see the signs of the times are
changing front, is precisely the opportunity
to press forward and make the victory COM
plete. The most remarkable instance of a
change is in the case of Mr.. Mills of Texas,
who has been one of the most persistent
and consistent free coinage men, sand who
now says plainly that ne isRconvinced that
free coinage viii not greatly help the farm
ers, laborers and debtors generally. We
are not much concerned with the fact that
he takes this position in order to emphasize
his opinion that silver questions should be
subordinated to the tariff issue. Nor do we
fail to notice that while he gives so little
importance to free coinage as 4 remedy for
evils existing he does not say that he shall
hereafter vote against free coinage. The
fact is that he acknowledges the
full rehabilitation of silver to be matter
people for whose benefit any statesman can
urge it. If it cannot help the
classes it will be an advantage
only to the mine owners, and no
man who loves his country is
going to take a step that leads to the de-
basement OF the currency merely to give
good market to the owners of silver mines.
MIR. Mills is not fully converted, but he has
given up the only ground on which he can
fairly urge free coinage. AS a shrewd
politician he would not have done so unless
he had seen clearly that the silver agitation
has reached its height and is declining, or if
he had desired that free coinage should be
one of the issues in the next presidential
election.
''The silver party is no longer in an ag-
gressive position; it is not even holding its
own against the advocacy Of a 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 q silver
advocate as Mr.. Mills assuring the country |
that free coinage will not help the people, |
we have starting point from which we |
may push the silver men to the wall. The |
opponents of free coinage have an opportu- |
nifty to put an end to the whole agitation by |
a crushing defeat to 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 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 viii relieve the country from the dis |
5ress which it is now suffering = = 1t |
must be apparent to everyone who has care
July examined the subject that opening the |
he mints to the free coinage of silver will |
lot dIspel the cloud that is now darkening |
he land. Let US not be deceived by super |
icial appearances. It is not the scarcity of |
money in the country, it is the scarcity of |
money in the pockets of the people who |
,arn it that produces the distress
i is not the small circulation, it is the |
mail distribution that plaques US"
The Philadelphia Ledger, a Republi-
AN paper, thus commented on Mr..
Mills Mansfield speech:
The real significance of what Mr.. Mills
aid at Mansfield, on the 10Th inst, would |
eem to be that, speaking for the most rep
esentative minds of his party, he served
.otice upon such of its members as had |
'ielded to the silver heresy that 1t was time
o recant and to abandon their demands for
rec coinage, unless they were ready to be
in the elections of this year
nd the next by the almost common senti-