Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-08-17
In Speech Notifying Ex-
Senator Davis of
Nomination.
CERE EMONIES SIMPLE
Candidate in Acceptance Sub
scribes to Parker'S Fa-
nous Telegram.

White Sulphur Springs, w. Va, Aug.
17.-On the lawn of the White Sulphur
Springs hotel, in the presence of a
vast cOncourse of enthusiastic demo
cratic adherents and friends and
ncighbOrs, Henry Gassaway Davis was
formally notified he is the nominee of
the democratic party for vice presi-
dent today.
Representative John Sharp Williams,
of Mississippi, delivered the notifica-
tion address. The ceremonies were
marked with the utmost simplicity.
williams Address.
Mr. Williams spoke as follows:
Mr.. Davis-Sir: We have been
appointed by most notable
convention as committee to
notify you of your nomination by the
democracy as their choice for vice
president of the United States. We de
sire to express the pleasure we feel in
having been selected to perform this
duty and our confidence in you, your
faithfulness, honesty and wisdom.
The people see in you one of the best
products of the best period of Ameri-
van IuStll JlOIiS, al DtI4Ou W NOSE SdlltHJ
characteristics were local self-govern-
ment, individuality, equal opportunity,
and freedom; freedom to work, free
dom TO buy and sell. freedom to com
pete in industrial life, resulting in
Sulf-dCpcndCncc. freedom to develop as
ones own master-and not merely as
the wcll-trained and well-managed in
duStrial servant of another. They see
in YOU what Oliver Wendell Holmes
said is a rare thing. "a self-made man
who is yet not proud of his maker"
Just before leaving home | said that
] was going to West Virginia, with
some others. to notify you of your nom
inatiOn. One of my brothers little
boys, standing by, said, Uncle John,
he must be a mighty big goose if he
hasn't heard of it already" In a GER
tain way, the notification with which
we are charged is nerfunCtory and un-
necessary. and yet it is well to main
tain by some degree of formality that
respectful observance which is due to
great events. The nomination by
great party to the great Office TO Y hich
we call you, the vice presidency. carry
with it the duty of presiding over the
senate of the United States and the
possibility of succession to the presi-
denCy. is great event.
Historical Essay Proper.
AS soon as | learned that | was by
resolution of the convention, to be the
mOuthpieCe of the committee for the
performance of this pleasant task,
began TO look about me in order to
see how the duty had been performed
by others. | found from recent per
fOTmancCS of similar character in
the republican camp that for a notifi-
cation speech historical essay is alto
gcther the proper thing, absolutely
necessary for the emergency We
shall therefore entitIe our notification
address; y Brief Historical DISGUISE
tion upon Some of the Blunders of our
Ancestors as Viewed from the Stand
point of the Wisdom of Republican
Statesmen. Who have Embraced the
Strenuous Life.
The first of these consisted in dis
eliminating against the red man-the
image of God in chcrry--On account
of his race and color and previous con
ditiOn. Our ancestors said il was on
account of the inherent, or inherited
race traits. tendencies and supposed
inCapacities. of which his color was
but the outward sign. Be that claim
pTetense or sincerity. we found TO our
astonishment that the door of oppOr-
tunity and hope" in the way of Office
holding and voting had been closed to
lO, the poor Indian.
Left Out In Cold.
He was not invited in by the select
men in Connecticut. nor by the eleC-
tors OF the self-govCrninE towns in
Massachusetts. to help govern our an
Ccstors and the country which they
had committed 20 their charge. nor
did our ancestors promise 10 assimi-
late him. This first violation in Amer
lea OF the divine right of manhood
suffrage, and OF the cherished funda-
mental dogma that all men OF all races
are equally Capacitated TO govern them
selves. and especially TO govern 9th,
Grs, has doubtless been the 'Iliad OF
all our woes" Plainly il was what
the Boston Transcript so eloquently
calls "Colorphobia." We could not &C
count for il, except perhaps upon a
line OF thought suggested by a sen
tenCe in the notification address OF
the Dprmaueuf chairman pf fhe Cbira