The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-08-18
WEST VIRGINIA'S GRAND
OLD MAN DULY NOTIFIED
Next Vice President Accepts the Nomination in
Vigorous Speech
Brilliant Address of John Sharp Williams Chairman of the
Notification Committee Distinguished Visitors
at White Sulphur Springs.

IEEHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, w.
w Va. Aug. 17.-Henry G. Davis
today was formally poiified Of
and accepted his nomination by the
Democratic party for vice president Of
the United States. The ceremonies
took place in the open air in the
grounds of Greenbrier White sulphur
Springs hotel and were marked by
simplicity. Mr.. Davis was escorted
"a the flag draped platform at 1870
O'Clock by Representative John Sharp
Williams Of Mississippi WEo delivered
the notification address. Mr.. Williams
occupied an hour in speaking. II took
AIR. Davis ten minutes to read MS for
NAL acceptance, but he prefaced this
with a heart-to-heaFt talk of ike du-
ration to the several thousand friends
and neighbOTs who were gathered un-
der the trees. Senator Daniel Of Nir-
Ginia was forced to acknowledge d
demand for speech, but declined and
at 3:25 o'clock the ceremony ended
Earlier in the day a formal letter
OF notification was handed Mr.. Davis
IA the psTlOr of the hotel.
a reception and cotiIlion in honor Of
the nominee was held in the hotel in
the evening.
Ola FRIENDS Assem- bIed.
Special trains began arriving last
night. Several came this morning and
the last, a fIteen-car special from
Charleston. W Va. delayed the cere-
monies half an hour. as Mr.. Davis did
not wish 10 disappoint his friends en-
route by proceeding without them Old
fashioned coaches and four" rolled
in. carrying merry passengers from
nearby resorts. farmers drove in with
their families from many miles around
and mOuntaineeTs made plgTimageS
with saddle bags crammed with IA
tons.
Mr.. Davis was the center OF interest
throughout the day. He was early on
the hotel veTandas greeting friends
Conferences were .Eeld later. Then
came the committee on notification at
1870 o'clock After an early luncheon
the senator sought tie privacy OF his
room for a brief rest. His excellent
health and evidences OF physical
strength were subjects of COngratula-
ton on the part of his friends Mr..
Davis makes no pretenses at oratory-
His delivery Is Of the conversational
style and his emphasis effected by
pauses rather than by gesture or voice
infection. His speech is earnest and
matter OF fact.
Real Enthusiasm.
VIXEN it came his time to respond
to the notification address he WAS kept
standing some minutes while the audi
ence expressed its enthusiasm This
affected Mr.. Davis
Ladies and gentlemen" he ex-
claimed. Il know that you mean all
that you have said and all that you
have done I feel confident further
that this magnificent gathering Of the
citizens OF West Virginia and tie adj
INK
the hearty clappiuE Of hands. It means
victory Applause interrupted the
speaker at this point.
Mr.. Davis did not follow his manu-
script closely. though he held it in
his hand. He did not miss a para
graph. but expressed the substance Of
each paragraph more briefly and in
some cases in fun. He mentioned tie
name of Parker and the response was
instantaneous. A moment later he
spoke of the platform and the con-
tention between him and Bryan over
its provisions. Immediately Bryan's
name was taken I'D and cheered-
Well" said Mr.. Davis with a mean
ing smile when quiet was restored I
was a member of the platform com
mittee and between those two gentle
men, but the platform was unanimous
y passed by the convention and I am
here today 10 stand upon it and in No
vember TO so 10 victory.
Cheers and Laughter.
Mr.. Williams pleased his hearers i'm
mcnsely by laying down to Mr. Davis
in irony rules of conduct 10 govern his
official career, each rule based on some
characteristic OF the opposition. He
talked for one nOur and was listened
10 throughout with marked attention
and evidences of approval Many
times he was interrupted by cheers
and laughter
When both had concluded Senator
Daniel responded to repeated demands
for q speech BY calling attention TO
the old saying speech Is silver but
silence is golden and as
recall that we formally adopted at
St Louis The gold standard I shall
show my sincerity in advising my
cOuntrymen to do so. after being for
twenty years a silver and gold man.
by practiCing what I preach"
To the strains Of Dixie" and med
ley Of patriotic airs the assemblagc
dispersed; not. however, until many
of its members had extended personal
congratulations to the candidate.