The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1896-01-23


| he had charge OF all pension legisla-
ton, general and private, and the zeal,
Intelligence and pa triotism Of his acts
earned for him the special gratitude
and devotion Of the veterans Of the
war. ~ rs 83
In the earliest months of his service
| in the senate, Senator Davis gave sig
4 niicant utterance to his sympathy
| With the veterans, as we'll as to some
we'll grounded principles of stat sman-
ship. This utterance is contained in
| his report (No. 1860 dated June %,
1888, on President Cleveland's numer-
Gus vetoes of private pension bills.
| That report became the text book in
the presidential campaign Of 1883, and
largely contributed to the election Of
President Harrison. It not only proved
that Cleveland had been inconsistent
and unjust in many of his vetoes, but
that his exercise Of this power was
wrong in principle, unconstitutional
and plain usurpa ton of the preroga-
tives of legislation. This report Gre
ated a profound impression on all par
| ties. It stopped at once the wholesale
vetoes, and it thoroughly aroused the
ex-soldier element Of the country to
the fact that the Democratic admins
& /
| It was due to Senator Davis, very
largely, that the rights and claims Of
the Northwestern territories were pre-
sented with such clearness that their
admission could not be postponed. His
speech Of April II, 1888, on the bill for
the admission of South Dakota is the
| most remarkable of remarka BILE series
of able and eloquent addresses, even
when brought in comparison with those
made by the oldest and ablest mem
bers of the senate. Many Of the
speeches of this memorable debate
deal with signal ability on one or an
other Of the various topics embrac edS
in the great question That of Senator
Davis alone covered all with fullness
and dignity that made it at once a
model encyclopedia, historic and judi
cial statement, ranking among the
best examples Of parliamentary elo-
quence. It was his maiden speech,
and it established reputation
so high that it has since re-
quired the exertion Of his best powers
to maintain it. It practically closed
the debate on the subject in the SEN
ate, and compelled a reluctant opposi-
ton to perform an act of justice in the
house. Among the score of speeches
delivered in the senate and house pend
ing the bill for the admission of the
two Dakotas and the new states Of the
Northwest, this speech remains the
jurist's and statesman's wade mecum
on the legal aspects Of territorial his
tory, as well as on the more equitable
| and reciprocal rights, duties and priv
ileges of the territories and the nation.
After his appointment to a position
on the committee on foreign relations,
Senator Davis came rapidly to the
front as an authority on diplomacy
and international law. His previous
studies in that line, his general grasp
! of large questions and his special fac
ulty of analysis and research enabled
him to render services seldom expected
OF new men on the committee. His
expositions Of the Monroe doctrine
have been among the most luminous
heard on the floor Of the senate.
Senator Davis illustrates his Ameri-
canism by his speech in the senate de-
livered in the month of April, 1892. 1t
was called out by the proposition Of
Herr Cahensly, a member Of the Ger
man parliament, appealing to the for
eign nations to denationaliZe American
institutions, by planting colonies on
our soil in compact masses so as to
perpetute foreign customs, languages
and allegiance through general tons I'M
born. This scheme was denounced by
Senator Davis in a speech which at
tracted profound attention at home
and abroad, for it was given great cir
culation in Europe, by translation into
many foreign languages.
AS the first term Of Senator Davis
approached its conclusion it became
10 mn ooti 1r
unanimous choice Of his party for re-
election. The Republican state con
vention which assembled in St. Paul in
May, 1892, to elect delegates-at-large
to the Minneapolis national conven-
ton, after listening to an able speech
from him on the issues of the day,
adopted, by q rising vote, a motion en-
dOrsing him for his own successor.
When the state convention met in July,
to nominate state ticket, the unprec-
edented action was taken Of formally
announcing him as the senatorial can
! didate Of the party. In neither con-
vention was a dissenting voice raised.
A Republican legislature was chosen,
and Senator Davis was reelected for
the term ending March 3, 1899.
About July /, 1894, Senator Davis
performed the unprecedented act
| which gave him at once national
prominence. AS a result of the Pull
| man strike interstate commerce was
! paralyzed in Chicago and it's suburbs,
mail trains were stopped and anarchy
seemed about to prevail. A committee
Of assumed labor leaders at Duluth
wired Senator Davis, asking him to
support a resolution introduced by
Senator Kyle, which was plainly in
tended to embarrass the authorities
and encourage rioters. The senator
promptly returned the following tele-
| gram:
ITO D. D. McInnis, Duluth, MINI. -
I have received your telegram. Il will
not support Senator kyle's resolution.
1T is against your own real welfare 1t
| is also a blow at the security, peace
and rights Of millions Of people who
never harmed you or your associates.
Ny duty to the constitution and the
laws forbids me to sustain resolution
to legalize lawlessness The same duty
rests upon you and your associates.
The power to regulate commerce
-,