The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-27

cotlindHder Oh the department, admins
ter1ng the obligation of the order. He
remained continuously member in good
standing of this post as long as he lived
He was also member of the Sons of
/ Veterans by reason of the service of his
father, Horatio N. Davis, in the Union
army during the Civil war. and mem
Der of the Sons of the American RevoIu-
tion through inheritance from both ma
ternal and paternal ancestry
AS member of the Minnesota IegisIa-
ture Mr.. Davis efficiently served his con-
st1tuents and made a ereditable record
III general legislation. His success as
United States district attorney was such
as might be expected from his well
known legal abilities and professional
learning. He was nominated for gov
efhof by his party in recognition of his
aggressive position questions of the
| day which agitated the public mind He
was elected by the people, served one
term with DISTINGUISHED ability, declined
a reelection, which would have been
granted without opposition. and resumed
the practice Of his profession during +ba
twelve years that interviewed between
that service and his election to the United
states senate.
When he entered the latter BODY he was
or mature years and ranked high among
the foremost lawyers and publfcists Of
the nation. His fame had preceded him.
he was assigned important positions
without the novitiate experience usually
| eNacteds of senator's. Within a very snort
time after taking his seat he was made
chairman of the committee on pensions
lhen one OF the most important COM
IhtteeS OF the, senate. In this position he
manifested those qualities of intelligence
| quick grasp and incessant Industry which
characterized all his performances. The
disabled pension bill of 1880 received
! great attention at his hands, and its most
| Valuable features are the direct result of
his research and labor. His first extend
| ed speech in the senate favored the adj
MISSION OF the two Dakotas and was a
| model OF strong argument as well as his
| torical and judicial statement.
In 1872 Senator Davis delivered a speech
/ winch fairly thrilled with Americanism.
| Il was ELECTED by the proposition Of Herr
hahensly, member of the German par
| Hament, appealing to foreign nations to
denatlonalize American institutions by
pfantlng colonies on our soil in compact
masses so as TO perpetuate foreign Gus
TOMS language and allegiance through
generations yet unborn. The scheme was
denounced by Senator Davis in a, speech
which attracted profound attention at
Rome and abroad, for it was given great
circulation in Europe, being translated
Into many tongus.
In July, 1894, the strike at Pullman, near
Chicago, had paralyzed commerce, stop
ped the mails and brought about a con-
dit1on of anarchy. Senator Davis was
asked by alleged labor representatives IN
Minnesota to support resolution then
pending which was plainly intended to
en1barrass the authorities and encourage
|. the. rioters.
The following is a memorable telegram
which he sent in reply:
TO ID. d. McInnis, Duluth, Mimi:
II nave received your telegram. I 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. The
power to regulate commerce among the
several states is vested by the constitu-
ton in congress. Your associates have
usurped that power at Hammond and
other places, and have thereby destroyed
commerce among the states in those par.
ticular instances.
You are rapidly approaching the overt
act of levying war against the United
States, and you will find the definition
of that act in the constitution. 1 trust
that wiser thoughts will regain control.
| You might as well ask me to vote to dis
| solve this government"
In March, 1897, Senator Davis was made
chairman Of the senate commfttee-on for
eign relations, which position he retained
unl1 Ills C6dIHy anu IN II Was, DIV the
rapid succession of vitality important
| events, privileged to perform perhaps the
| most conspicuous and valuable of all his
public services. He prepared the report
and resolution by which the Hawaiian
islands weree annexed, having previously
| severely criticised the attitude of Presi-
dent Cleveland's administration on this
question He was the author of the re-
port of the committee on foreign relations
defining thn Monroe doctrine nc
able to the controversy between the
United States and England respecting
Englands claims upon Venezuela. He
prepared the declaration of war with
Spain, and also the report by which that
action was justified. He prepared, in
fact, all the resolutions which were pass
ed by congress relative to the issuee be-
tween the United States and Spain re-
speeding Cuba, and to his able guidance
the successful outcome of the war, from
its diplomatic point of view, was largely
due. All through that momentous crisis
be was the trusted and confidential ad-
wiser of the president and the department
of state. He was member of the COM
mission which negotiated the treaty of
Paris by which the war with Spain was
terminated, the sovereignty of Cuba re-
leased, and Porto Rico and the Philip
pines coded to thee United States.
AS student of international law and
lecturer on that important subject Sena-
tor Davis was conspicuous by the breadth
of his grasp and the clearness of his
statement of all the legal and historical
features embraced in this great science
IN many branches of literature lie was an
expert, being specially attracted by the
poetical charm of Shakespeare and the
military genius of Napoleon. His collec-
ton of works relating to these monu-
mental figures in human history was
very extensive, and he was thoroughly
familiar with every book and document
il his possession relating to their careers,
He was thus a, many-sided man, show
ing a,xersatility of research and acquire
filent seldom found in one whose life had
6eenAdevoted to a successful prosecution
of q most exacting profession and the