The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1900-12-06
SENATOR C. X. DAVIS.
Brilliant Career of the Great Mime
sota Statesman.

a pdtrlotiC champion or liberty and
of law, a profound and polished schol-
ar. a subtle lawyer. and an impressive
and convincing orator, q broad-mind-
ed, cautious. but alert statesman, a
courageous, fertile. and successful Dip
lomat, such was Senator Cushman X.
Davis. When the momentous events
of the past few years are summed up
by the historians and added to the
stirring pages of this great republics
history, prominently forth must stand
the Eame of Minnesota's senior SEN
ator. ~Inseparably connected with the
exciting incidents previous to and dur-
Ing the war with Spain is the name of
this great diplomat n statesman, as
chairman of the senate committee on
foreign relations, he had much to d.
with shaping the policy of the govern
ment. His advice was constantly
sought by President Mckinley, to
whom he was a mainstay and support
during the whole of that turbulent pc
Rod.
The exposition of international just
Ice contained in his report upon the
Maine disaster. supplied foundation for
all subsequent action by congress and
the president. 1t was left to Senator
Davis, nevertheless, to focus the mighty
forces he had set in motion. This he
did by reporting to the senate a reso-
luton demanding the withdrawal of
Spain from Cuba and adjacent waters,
and authorizing the president, in case
OF SPANS refusal, to employ such
force as might be necessary to enforce
compliance. But the Minnesota senat-
or displayed true courage Of state
craft. which PREPARES for the cons
quepce of every voluntary action.
Thus, between Feb. Is, 1898, when the
Maine was destroyed, and April 81,
when war began, Senator Davis stood
forth in the eyes of the world, a saga
cious. self-poised director of American
destiny. Thenceforth his name, his
learning, his talents, We're recognized
by civilization. Thenceforth his policy
was latent in every diplomatic under
taking of the United States. And when
some future century confronts Ameri-
cans once more with the national prob
lens of 1893, The patriotic. safe solu-
ton will again be read in the old thine
speeches of Cushman X. Davis.
Throughout the Spanish war the
CdlHI nul lOTIlludDIc dttltuut VI Ills
country offset the most subtle plans
for foreign Intervention, an interview
ton directed far more to the humbling
of America than at the succoring or
Spain. For the maintenance of an at
titude so difficult and SO essential, the
advice of Senator Davis was sought
constantly and frankly.
AS a commissioner to arrange terms
of peace with Spain the senator's pecu-
liar talents found full scope. One OF
his associates on the commission,
speaking a~fterward, said: Senator
Davis was our magazine. our bulwark.
His knowledge of International law
awoke the admiration of u antago-
nists, learned and ingenious as they
were themselves The senator was
never at a loss to meet the most un-
expected point or to confute the Span
iards with a return quotation from the
most obscure authority. His acquaint-
ance with French, Italian and Spanish,
as we'll as with the classic tongues, re-
inforced the scholarship Of our commits
sion and proved OF special use to us In
documentary references"
Upon his return from Paris Senator
Davis was received with distinguished
gratitude at Washington. with public
welcome at st. Paul. His place as
chairman of the senate committee on
foreign affairs was assured for the fu-
ture, no less than with his seat in the
senate. He had fixed his position as
the foremost American ~expounder Of
the complex law of nations. He had,
moreover. proved his possession Of the
far rarer ability to obtain from that
law the utmost advantage in diplomat
ic argument.
Senator Davis comes of Puritan
stock, both his father n mother trac-
ing their ancestry back to the Pilgrim
Fathers. Cushman K. Davis was born
at the village OF Henderson. N. Y,
June 16, 1888. He was the Oldest of
eight children. five of whom still live.
When he was two months old his fam
lily removed to Waukesha, Wis. Fol
fifteen years his father lived the earn
est life of a frontier farmer. He then
became a country merchant. During the
War of the Rebellion he served as a
captain In the commissary department.
and was brevetted major by President
Johnson. Afterwards MAJ. Davis held
several municipal and county offices,
and was chosen q member of the Wis
corsin legislature. He is still living.
hale and hearty. at the advanced age
of eighty-six.
Cushman attended the district
school, later. studied in a small acade-
my at Waukesha, known as Carroll
college. In 1857 he graduated from the
University OF Michigan. de ~practiced
law at Waukesha until 1852. when he
enlisted in the Federal army as first
lieutenant OF Company B, Twenty
eighth Wisconsin infantry. He Joined
he Army OF the Tennessee and partici-