The Bemidji pioneer., 1900-12-06
SENATOR 9. X. DAVIS.

SENATOR q. X. DAVIS.
BriIIinnt Career OF the Great Mime
i sofa Statesman.
Il "a patriotic champion of liberty arls
of law, a profound and polished schoi
an, a subtle lawyer, and an impressiv,
land convincing orator. q broad mind
i ed, cautious, but alert statesman. Z
courageous. fertile and successful dip
lomat. such was Senator Cushman X
Davis. When the momentous event:
of the past few years are summed I'll
by the historians and added to the
stirring pages Of this great republics
history, prominently forth must stand
i the Eame of Minnesota's senior SEN
ator. Inseparably connected with the
i exciting incidents previous to and dur
1 ing the war with Spain is the name oi
this great diplomat and statesman, al
chairman Of the senate committee on
foreign relations, he had much to dc
| 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
| rtod 5s
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
sof spain's refusal. TO employ such
force as might be necessary to enforce
compliance. But the Minnesota senat-
or displayed true courage Of state
craft which prerares for the cons
quence Of every voluntary action.
4 Thus, between Feb. 10, 1898, when the
Maine was destroyed, and April 81,
when war began, Senator Davis stood
forth In the eyes of the world, saga
cious, self poised director of American
destiny Thenceforth his name, his
learning, his talents, were 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 mo more with The natiesaI !, Prob
tion will again be read I'm tlSeMold~ time
speeches Of Cushman III Dhvfs. 81
Throughout the Spanish war the
calm but formidable attitude Of this
country offset the most sEuf d niang,
for foreign Intervention, an inferyens
ton directed far more to the humbling
of America than at the succoring OF
Spain. For the maintenance Of an at
titude SO difficult and so essential, the
advice of Senator Davis was sought
consta ntly and frankly.
AS a commissioner to arrange terms \
of peace with Spain the stnat tots neGu
liar talents found full scopesf OItF Of |
his associates on the sion,
speaking afterward, said; u 3 sYator
Davis was our magazine. oItp sb,ti iMark.
His knowledge Of internatianaE law
aWoke the admiration Of our antago-
pists, learned and Ingenious as sthayf
were themselves. The senator was
never at a loss to meet the most un-
expected point or to confute the Span
iards with return quotation from the |
most obscure authority. His acquaint-
ance with French. Italian and Spanish, I!
as well as with the classic tongues. re-
lnforced 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 I
gratitude at Washington, with public
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 abilithy to obtain from that
law the utmost advantage in diplomat
Ic argument.
Senator Davis comes OF Puritan
stock. both his father and mother trac-
Ing their ancestry hack to the Pilgrim
Fathers Cushman r. Davis was born
at the village Of Henderson, N. r,
June 16. 1888. He was the Oldest of
eight children, five Of whom still live.
When ne was two months old his fam
ly removed to Waukesha, wis. For
fifteen years his father lived the earn
est life of frontier farmer. He then
became country merchant. During the
War Of the Rebellion he served as a
captain In the cornn1issary department.
md was brevetted major by President
Johnson Afterwards Maj. Davis held
several municipal and county Offices,
ind was CHOSEN a member OF the Wis
sorsin legislature. He Is still living,
,ale and hearty. at the advanced age
Il eighty-six.
Cushman attended the district
chooi, later studied in small acade-
NY at Waukesha, known as Carroll |
'ollege. In 1857 he graduated from the
University of Michigan. He practiced ! &
aw at Waukesha until 1862. when he
.nlisted in the Federal army as first
lieutenant of Company B, Twenty
fghth Wisconsin infantry. He Joined
he Army Of the Tennessee and partici-
'ated In the expedition that captured
little Rock He was not robust, and
e suffered constantly from the n,ias-
ma of the Arkansas swamps He was
detailed for duty as Judge
dvocate. and later served as adjltant II
eneral on the STAFF OF Gen. German.
but, after two years. Lieut.. Davis
ound himself failing, and was obliged
. resign in 1864.
He returned to Waukesha and mar