Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-08-14
CONVENTION
.Of the Second DIstrIeL Nonlnates

vi the r6eOAu DletIlcb NOlllhdlobl
COL. THOMAS B. DAVIS FOR CON-
GREss IN WEST VIRGINIA
Is Native Of Maryland, Cousin Of Mr..
German and Brother of Ex-senator
Davis
MARTINsBURG, w. VA, Aug. g.
The Democratic Congressional Con
vention for the Second district of
West Virginia, which met in this
city today, was undoubtedly the
largest held for the purpose of nomi
mating a candidate for Congress
since the convention of 1894 in this
city, which nominated Hon. William
L. Wilson the last time for Congress.
The general attendance was I'M
doubtedly the largest ever known
at a Congressional convention in
this State. The convention WAS
called to order by W. r. CornWell.
of Romney. chairman of the Con-
gressional Executive Committee, at
ii a. M, and Forrest W Brown, of
Charles Town, and James E Nc
Coy, of Grafton, were selected as
temporary chairman and secretary
of the convention. After the ap
pointment of committees adjourn-
ment was had for dinner, after which
John j. Cornwell, of Hampshire, was
selected as permanent chairman and
G. w. Boyer, of this city, as secre
tary of the convention.
Judge John Fl. Holt, nominee for
Governor, addressed the vast assem-
blsge on the leading questions of the
day. He referred to the silver ques
lion of 1896 as the leading topic of
that campaign and Imperialism as
! the burning issue of today. He
lwelt particularly upon the trusts
and monopoltes that were eating the
substance from even the working
mans dinner bucket.
After his speech the following
platform was adopted:
s'This convention adopts and re
afIirms as it's platform of principles
the platform and resolutions adopt.
ed by the Democratic State Conven.
tion at Petersburg June 6, 1900,
and platform and resolutions adopt
ed by the Democratic National Con.
vention in Kansas City, Mo-, on
July A, 1900, and we condemn the
course of A. G. Dayton, the Con
gresham from this district, who has
shown his inefflciency in Congress
and misrepresented the people and
interests of this district and who
has made himself especially conspic-
uous in the support of measures be
fore Congress that were in the in
terests OF trusts and combinations
of the country as against his con
stituency."
The name of Col. Thomas B. Dav-
is, of Mineral county, was placed be-
fore the convention in a forceful
speech by Hon. S. w. Walker, oil
this city, whose own name had been
mentioned favorably for the nomi
nation. 1t was seconded by Hon.
w. B. Cornwell, of Hampshire. The
nomination was unanimous, no other
names being before The convention.
A committee appointed to conduct
Col. Davis into the hall brought him
in amid the strains of Dixie by
the band and the cheers of 5000
people. Col. Davis, in his speech OF
acceptance, thanked the. convention
for the unsought honor, but said
that as he was now nominated he
would make a desperate effort TO
win, "a nd be col tidently believed that
he would be elected. He said that
while he was not ~peech-maker he
believed that the people wanted a
representation who would do less
talking and more zeal work.
The next work of the convi ntioD
was the election of a Presidential
elector. The names of Hon. Forrest
W. Brown, of JEFF, ron, and Hon.
Samuel v. Woods, of Barbour. were
placed before the convention. The
name of Mr.. Woods was Withdrawn
and Col Brown nominated by ac
clamation.
Thomas B. Davis, the nominee for
Congress, familiarlY known as "Col.
rom,' is what is known as a self.
made man. He was born near Bal
timore. Md, in 1928 and came to
West Virginia. then Virginia, and
settled at New Creek, now Keyser,ip
Mineral county. He worked on the
track of the Baltimore and Ohio and
invested his savings in mountain
land. He has never occupied pc
litical Office save one, and that in
1898, when elected to the Legisla
ture from his own county, convert
ing Republican majority OF 400 in
to Democratic majority of nearly
200. He calls himself "a farmer
but he is known to be one of the
leading business men in West Vir
ginia. His early investments turned
ont we'll. Coal was found on his
land, and the West Virginia Central
Railroad, of which he was manager
for years, was run through the then
forests Of West Virginia. his land
was developed, and Colonel Davis
soon became rich. For "a years he
has been ON the State Executive
Committee of the Democratic party
and has always been sterling and
well known Democrat. His mother
and the mother of ex-senator Cor
man, OF Maryland. were sisters. He
is a brother of eX Senator navia of