Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-06-27
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Column Article. E8
Hon. VIM. A. Anderson on the Democratic
Platform and the Political Outlook.

ROcKDridge News, June l0Jn.
Our Reporter called upon Mr.. William A.
Anderson day or two ago and solicited an
interview, which is reported below:
Reporter:-How do you like the action of
the st. Louis Convention?
Mr.. Anderson:-The nominations appear
to be tho strongest that could have been
made.
Mr.. Cleveland was foregone conclusion
The Democratic masses were a unit for
him. His able, honest, patriotic and coura-
geous administration has commended him
not only to the people of his own party, but
to good men of all parties.
Mr.. Thurman has a strong hold upon the
affections and the confidence of the people
of the country, and if he has the physical
strength to organize and lead the Democra-
cy of Ohio. that State may be carried for
the great party of progress and reform.
The ticket is good one either way you
take it, and if Democrats do their duty will
be trinmphantiy elected.
The platform is a strong one and the
whole party can unite upon it.
It clearly fOrmulates the issues of the
contest.
Under this clear declaration of Demo-
cratic faith, the party enters the impending
struggle as the champion Of broad and lib
eral nationalism, as opposed to a narrow
and bigoted sectionalism, and as the fearless
| advocate of wise reform and rigid econo-
my in the conduct and policy of the govern
ment as opposed to the extravaganza, spec
ulation, and oppressive taxation which were
the fruits Of Republican administration, and
| Republican legislation.
Reporter:-What will be the salient is
sues of the coming contest?
| 1t would be difficult to answer your ques
ton in few words.
The one crying evil which confronts the
country, is the enormous and increasing
surplus in the National treasury.
1t is wonderful that the business interests
of the country have so long borne up under
the condition of things which has come to
us as legacy of Republican misrule.
1t is marvellous that the people have
rested quietly under system of revenue and
tariff taxation which yearly exacts from the
industries and business of the country, one
hundred million dollars more than is actual
ly needed for any proper requirement of the
government. That surplus must be gotten
rid Of
The present system of revenue and tariff
taxation must be reformed.
1t is a system which has not protected the
many, though it has enriched the few. 1t
is filing the Golfers of the government with
coin it does not need, and robbing the pock-
cts of the people of money they cannot
spare.
Another and not the least important issue
of the contest is the question of equal rights
to States and Sections question of su-
preme importance to the people of Virginia
and the South. The supremacy of Demo-
cratic principles, means that the South shall
be taken from under the ban of hostile
and unjust political and sectional proscrip-
tion, be rehabilitated, and dlsenthralled,- -
that Virginia and Texas, shall be the peers
of Massachusetts and New York-and that
the citizens of every section of the country
shall be entitled to participate equally in
the benefits as they share in the burdens OF
their common government.
A great stride has already been made in
this direction during the three years of Mr..
Cleveland's administration, and it is only
needed that the same wise aed just policy
which has illustrated his conduct of the
government shall be continued to quench
the fires of sectional hate and allay the bit
| terness of sectional prejudice, OF which the
South has been the victim, and the whole
country the sufferer under Republican rule.
|
are your views upon the Tariff, are you in
favor of high tariff?
| The platform adopted at st. Louis last
week expresses my opinions upon that sub
iect. 1t is a matter to which l have devot-
ed much attention and thought.
| 1t is one not free from complications aud
difficulties. While am not an advocate of
| free trade, and do not agree with the views
of the extremists upon that question, l do
not believe, and have never believed that
the government had the right to tax one
class of the people to put money into the
pockets of another class. / do not believe
in a tariff for protection PER Sc. l am op.
posed to high tariff in the interest alike ol
our manufacturing Industries and of the
people who buy their products. The enor.
mites and inequalities of the present Re
publican tariff must be corrected.
The unnecessary burdens, which under g
false cry of protection to American indus
tries, it imposes upon the people, should bs
taken off, A fair, just and equitable systen
of tariff legislation will give to American
labor and manufactures all the protection
they may need or ought to have.
But Democrats connot afford to diyid,
on this question. The ought all to be will
ing to accept the platform of the party, ant
the wise and patriotic declarations il
makes as the article of their faith upon thi
question. Certainly l accept it and stant
upon it in good faith, and l am willing t,
stand or fall by it. am in favor not onl,
of tariff reform, but of interal revenue re
form. and as step IN that direction ap
prove of the efforts now being made by tn
Democrats in Congress to revise and reduc
tariff taxation and to repeal the interna
revenue tax on tobacco.