The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1904-07-20
EREMINIscEMT.

i3Gency of t his great country, reminds
us that he and Frank Hereford We're
1.-THE first Democratic United States
Senator'S from West Virginia They
were small pair--loolsed it-and
were generally SO regarded when
Eseated in the highest law-making
| body in the world. The Senate when
I they entered it was then as now in
/ were such able Democrats as Allen
G. Thurman, Of Ohio; Thomas F. Bay
ard. of Delaware. end Ben. Hill, of
| Georgia. On the Republican side sat
James G. Blaine. OF Maine; Roscoe
| Conklins. OF New York, Oliver ?.
Morton. of Indiana, and others of al
most equal ability and prominence
The West Virginia Senators We're pig
mics alongside the others mentioned.
and Mr.. Hereford evidently realized
it. as he remained silent-was seen
ings no constituent would have point
ed the two out TO strangers as his
Senatorial representatives Davis was
at that time worth some money. and
this gained for him the reputation Of
being a financier. Having been re-
ferred TO as such, he undertook TO
show that he was entitled to be SO
regarded. Picking up and scanning
report Of the Treasury Department.
over which a Republican presided. he
conceived the idea that it's system of
bookkeeping was imperfect, and in
Introducing a resolution calling for
ar inv inn T,t ~ LAM .f ma
he charged or strongly intimated that
crOoEedness would be discovered
that the consideration he had given
the subject warranted that belief.
This. OF course, attracted some atten-
ZION, and there We're people who were
ready to believe that the West Nir-
einia Senator was about to make
some important disclosures.
In due time his resolution came up
for consideration. Il was not consid-
cred long. Mr.. Davis entered upon
an explanation OF it's object. repeat
ing what he had said on the occasion
OF its introduction. when a venerable
New England Senator, who had at
one time been Secretary of the Treas-
u:y, but whose name we cannot now
recall eve believe, however, it was
the Hon. George S. Boutwell,, of
Massachusetts,, began interrogating
him on the subject OF bookkeeping, |
propounding questions that the West |
Virginian had neve" heard of and |
which rendered him both helpless and |
speechless. The resolution was in |
quilted in laughter, and was never
r hI- ire t6r,y ri
In legal parancef it was laughed out |
of court. This was doubtless humil |
iatinS to M. Davis. We know it was |
to the people of his State.
He served two terms in the Senate.
retiring from it voluntarily. He could |
have returned easily, as he had the
price, this being all his party requir
ed. It is believed that he retired to
private life because he at last reach
ed the conclusion that the Senate was
TOO big for him-that he was too far
The body became Democratic dur
ing his incumbency and he was
placed on important committees, re-
ceiving the Craftsmanship of one, but
his light refused to shine brighter and
he remained in the rear rank.
AS the story above related had its
origin away back. when Mr.. Davis
was comparatively young man,
not more than sixty years
Old it will be new to most Demo
Gratis of the present day. They know
that he is financier and they don't
want to know anything else. With
them at this juncture it is eNpediency
not craftsmanship. They know that
he has a bar'l and they hope he Will
tap it freely and often. 1t is said
that he was nominated for the Vice
simply because he has
more money than the other fellows
who were considered for the posi-:
ton. This is doubtless true. 1t re-
qures money 10 put the political ma
in order. Mr.. Davis may fur
nish fairly good lump. Money
helps in various ways. 1t gives many
a man prestige. 1t often makes one
seem what he is not-makeS him
eminent in the estimation of some
people. Intelligence is not always an
aid in making money. Many Hitter
ateS have become wealthy. One of
the richest men in Marion county
to be worth at least quar-