The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1892-12-15
A Talk with Mr.. Anthony, the Sue
cessOr of Mr. Mills


cessor Of Mr. Mills.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Representative
Anthony, of Texas, who succeeded Mr..
Mills as member of the House when
the latter was elected to the Senate, has
arrived in the city and is stopping at
the Metropolitan Hotel. Mr.. Anthony
is of the opinion that the first duty the
Democratic party owes to the people of
this country is the reduction of taxation.
81 believe" said Mr.. Anthony, "that an
extra session of Congress should be calls
ed Immediately after the fourth of March
and such legislation enacted as will in
peal all federal election laws. The peo-
pie are unquestionably opposed to any
interference on the part of the federal
government in the elections. This is
matter that each State can control for
itself. After the repeal of these acts the
next most important matter is the re-
duction of not only the tariff, but all
other methods of indirect taxation.
80 far as l am able to determine, the
people of this country are in favor of
free trade, and they would all prefer
system of direct taxation, no matter how
high the figures may be per capita, to
the present system of indirect taxation,
where no one knows exactly how high
his taxes are. While l cannot tell what
truth there is in the talk of deficit in
the treasury, believe that the matter
should be inquired into as soon as posi-
BILE by the new administration and that
no time should be lost in reducing, so far
as can be accomplished, the expenses of
the government.
II am decidedly in favor of whole
sale reduction of the amount paid out in
pensions and believe that all our pension
laws should be repealed, and the system
re-established on wiser and more Salts
factory basis. AT present most of the
pensioners | know are able>bodied men,
who do not need the money they are
drawing from the government. A great
portion of our pension legislation has
been little better than a successful
scheme to rob theSgovernment, and it
should certainly be revised at once. All
deserving pensioners should, of course,
be taken care of, but all those who are
now drawing money from the governs
Inent, not because they either need or
deserve it, should be promptly stricken
from the pension rolls
ut is the duty of the Democratic par
ty to give these matters immediate at
tention, and l believe it will be Mr.
Cleveland's duty to call congress togeth-
er as early as possible in order that
measures for the relief of the people may
be determined upon.''
JUDGE CHAPMAN ON AN EXTRA SESSION
Judge Chapman, of Michigan, is an
other Democratic member who believes
that the matter of greatest Importance
to the country is the immediate revision
of the tariff laws. ''Talk of an extra
session at present, however, is prema-
ture," said Judge Chapman, to a Sun
representative today.
AFTER Mr.. Cleveland enters office, and
has had time to comprehend the full
situation, this talk may be appropos If,
as is the case with Governors of some of
the States, an extra session could be con-
fined to objects specified IN the call,
could see no objection to the proposition.
The cost of it would be too slight to form
an important reason against it. Iwould
be heartily in favor of an extra session
If L was certain that a committee on
ways and means would be selected and
work to formulate tariff revision during
the summer vacation. In that way a
satisfactory, and certainly an intelligent
tariff bill could be framed before the
meeting of the regular session. am
afraid, however, that the incoming ad
ministration will find the treasury in
such a state that an extra session will be
/ i'm fix-o