Evening star., 1897-02-02
N R. DAVIS CASE
His Nomination May Be Hung Up
in the Senate.
POSSIBLE OPPOSITION OF SILVER MEN
District Bar Association Meet to
!ndorse Him.
THE NOMINEE CONFIDENT

1t is possible that Mr.. Henry i. Davis
may be confirmed as United States District
| attorney for the District of Columbia. but
| there is strong opposition. and the indica-
tions rather point to non-action on this
| and a number of other appointments by
the President Some of the democratic
senators are disposed TO mako fight for
the consideration and rejection of Mr. Da-
Wis, but apparently the prevailing DISPOSE
ton among those opposed to confirma ton
| is to hang the nomination up and leave the
| matter open for Mr.. Mckinley to deal with
after the 4th of March,
number of democrats hold that il is
not worth while 10 resent the appointment
by Mr.. Cleveland of gold democrats VINO
refused TO support the ticket last fall, but
on the contrary, to regard his appointments
as If they were made by the executive of
an opposing party. Some of the strongest
men in the Senate take this view and think
that the combinations should be made un-
less there is some reason other than politi-
cal for their rejection. With so much con-
fiict of opinion it is impossible to ,ell gust
what the outcome might Ice. but il is under
stood that the democratic party orEanizas
ton is in favor of non-action.
The District Democracy.
One strong influence against Mr. Davis
confirmation is the consideration of what
effect it might have on the District democ-
racy. The only Importance from a national
point of view that attaches to the District
democracy comes from the fact that dele
gates are sent from the District to the ma
tional convention and that their votes con-
tribute toward determining the policies to
be adopted at the convention. 1t is held
that the District delegates having been
chiefly silver men at the last convention.
after a fight between two factions in the
primaries, that the confirmation of Mr..
Davis, gold democrat. would very greatly
discourage the silver democrats of the Dis
trict and all others who stood by the party,
and might result in gold delegation being
sent to the next convention.
The prominence which Mr. Davis took in
opposition &C the views indorsed by the Of
hcial democratic OF ofgdniZation renders the
local opposition for political reasons Pc
culiarly strong.
Views of Democratic Senators.
Some of the democratic senators. how
! ever, say that they do not feel that under
the circumstances Mr.. Davis nomination
should be rejected They contend that the
present administration has ceased to rep
resent the democratic party, and that they,
as democrats, have no right to expect that
Mr.. Cleveland would nominate any but a
man OF his own party.
They say that there is no personal reason
Tor opposition to Mr.. Davis: that he is a
lawyer of ability and d man of good stand
ing In the community, and that therefore
they should vote to confirm him lust as
they will to confirm republicans sent in by
Mr.. Mckinley after the 4th Of March If
Is uncertain what the attitude OF the re-
pubncans VIII be. but if the democratic op-
position proves as strong as ii seems TO be-
IL Is hardly TO be expected that republicans
VIII make an extra exertion to secure a
confirmation which would deprive Mr.. Nc
hinley of a chance to make an appoint-
ment. Several with whom a Star renorter
mas spoken have said that they would not
lay awake of nights over the matter.
Bar Association to Act.
Vice President Samuel Maddox of the
District Bar Association TODAY issued n
call for meeting of the association at
5:13 Thursday afternoon for the purpose
OF taxing appropriate action upon the NOM
NATION of the president of the associa-
tion, Henry f. Davis. TO be United States
attorney for the District. The association
VIII, 1t Is said. indorse the nominal tion of
Mr. Davis. and steps will lie taken 10 Sc
cure his prompt confirmation.
The Central Committee.
Speaking today to Star reporter re-
spectins the report that the democratic
central committee of the District will op-
pose Mr.. Davis nomination. a member of
the committee expressed himself as being
confident that the committee will indorse
the nomination and urge its confirmation.
Two members of the committee-Cook and
Cusick-are enthusiastically supporting the
selection of Mr.. Davis as Mr.. Birney's sue
cessor.
They are gold money democrats. IL is
true, but Mr.. Davis friends assert with the
utmost confidence that enough other mem
bers of the committee will join Cook and
Cusick to defeat any motion made in the
committee to oppose the confirmation. Mr.
Davis himself is very confident of his con-
hrmation i'm a reasonable time, AMI is not
at all uneasy because of the report that the
silver democrats IN the Senase will defeat
him.
To Avoid Embarrassment.
The business Of the courts of the District
VIII he seriously embarrassed i'm the event
that District Attorney Birney's successor
is not installed in office Immediately upon
the expiration of his term of office. on the
9th instant. 1t was for the express purpose
OF averting an interregnum i'm the business
OF the Office that the President made a
nomination to the office in advance of the
actual existence of vacancy.
District Attorney Birney cannot act after
the expiration of his official term. and un-
to perform the duties of the office from
that date the entire business of the local
courts devolving upon that official will
come to full stop. IL would therefore ap-
pear that there is imperative necessity for
action, one way or the other. on the NOM
ination of Mr. Davis.