New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-28
THE MOULTING or A CUCKOO.

Another Cuckoo has mOuled. For months
mast there has been marked feeling of unrest
and suspicIon among the little chorus OF Admin
istratlon chirpcrs In Congress. One Of the most
vehement and tuncful OF the former chorlsters
had lost all stomach TO sing. and ominous dis
cords began to show themselves in the shr'lnken
volume Of Executive aduatlon. Now the breach
among the Administrations songsters Is CON
tossed and OMEN One Of the mellifluous 'Cuck-
COS" OF other days has dropped his piping and
vent,rcd on new notes, which are scarcely 10 be
DISTINGUISHED from those Of the srident lingo
bird. Mr.. Mills. Of Texas. is the missing and
now strangely metamorphosed Cuckoo Sus-
plcion fell upon him last winter. when with some
accidental apologies he delivered In the Senate
n vigorous attack on the Administrations pet
programme of greenback retirement. But his
secession from the "Cuckoo' ranks became both
final and Irrcvocable this week. when. after
every other camp follower Of the President had
declared against an effective recognition Of the
belligcrcncy Of the Cuban insurgents, Mr. Mills
came forward with passionate plea for armed
intervention in Cuba and the immediate seizure
OF the island by the naval and military forces
of the United States
II is curious TO note the gradual stages through
radiance of Inner Administration circles into
something like outer anti-Adminlstraton dark
ness. Three years ago, when President Cleve-
land first returned to power and began his cru
SADIE for the repeal of the silver purchasing clause
Of the so-called Sherman act no Democrat in
Congress rivalled Mr. Mills in his zeal for the
success OF the Administration programme
Abandoning Internationally his former financial
la
and fervently for the adoption Of II single gold
standard-so coplousy and fervently, indeed
that Of all the defenders Of the ADMINISTRATORS
policy in Congress he alone was singled out for
the compliment OF n midnight letter. of con-
graduation and thanks from the White House
Again, six months later, when Mr.. Cleveland's
Hawaiian programme was under fire In a Demo-
cratic Senate. no partisan of the Administration
could go further than the Texas Senator in his
ardor for the restoration OF Llliuokalan and In
his denuncation of Congress for It's untimely
interference with the Presidents plans to re-
seat the dissolute ex-Qucen on her throne SO
| eager and devoted a championship might natu-
rally have been expected TO eclipse in Prcsi-
dental favor even the plant adaptability Of
| Senator Gray or the tomtom aduation Of Sen
ator Villas The first chill to the Texas Senator's
| enthusiasm SeeWeu 10 come Win president
Clcvclands famous characterization OF the VIII
sOntiorman Tariff bill as one involving party
infamy and party dishonor" Mr.. Mills had
voted for the bill AZ II left the hands Of Messrs
Jones. Brice and German The beginning Of n
serious breach might have been guessed from
the Texas Senator's curt comment last Septem-
Der on President Clevelands possible renOmina-
ton: THE man Is not born who can be elected
three times to the Presidency"
The persistent exploitation by the President
and Secretary Carlisle Of their grecnback retire
ment panacca and the repeated sales of bonds
during The last two sessions Of Congress have
grated harshly en- Mr.. Mis's nerves, and he
broke out early this winter in a longdefcrred
but impetuous attack on the Administration
financial policy. Now ~ II to emphasize his
recantaton OF the hunders of the Hawaiian
policy, he swallows every principle Of interna.
tional law or comfy which he advocated in
1894, and. like Mr.. Morgan, of Alabama, de-