The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-05-29
DAVIS
 A MAN AND PUBLICIST

His widest "Rebe1" admirer has never claimed that the only president of the Confederate States was a saint. It is probably not provable that he was either a great soldier or an eminent statesman. That he was a good student at the aead- emy, and a good solder in the Mexican war has not been controverted. His eom- ing from the state he did may, or may not be claimed as the cause-or even the opportunity-for his conceded prominence in national affairs prior to the war. But were each and every one of these prem ises demonstrated precisely as laid down by the logic of passion and unreason, they cannot undo one of the strangest revenges of the whirligig of time yet recorded by history.
 No one can recall man who has faced such terrible and sweeping blasts of in detment, accusation, ealumny and mal- ice, yet has so long stood erect against the black baekground-a mark inviting scrutiny, but not shrinking beneath it. For it is simple truth that his name is today mentioned with respect and praise in the capital of every civilized country on the globe save one; and there, the cause of silence-or of old time iteration is more political than judicial.
 This weathering of a pitiless and en- during storm, for longer period than ever assailed any other, is itself proof of immense strength of timber and construc- ton. And this strength-innate, dominant and cultlvated-was ever the cause of success and failure of this remarkable man But the strength was never hus- banded; nor was it always judcously di- rected. It was, all through his career, liable to be expended upon triviaities; often In self-exhausting bursts. And, while not planting seed for some future Macaulay, it may be here noted that this absolute self-rellance and overween- ing confidence, were the prime weak nesses of the Confederate government MT. Davis became the Confederacy He failed because he could not make the Confectionery MT. Davis.
 The non sequitur is often more logical than the epigram. When Sir Boyle Roche said: "No man can be in two places at once, barrin' he's bird" the brilliant Celt was probably ignorant that he was double barrelled-tallxing nonsense and truth. He certainly did not intend to lay down a rule of procedure which, per- sistently deviated from, must result in disaster. MT. Davis, perhaps did not de- viate from that rule, because he was subimely innocent of it's existence.
 In an article on .sThe Weakness of MT. Dayiss Strength printed in the North American Review a decade ago, l stated this truth.
 It is literally true that he was not once the president, but felt the responsibility for every member of his cabinet. 1n- deed he was almost the head of every distinct bureau in each department.
 A tremendous national crisis, with it's overwhelming responsibilities, demanded that the executive should plan, distribute and order the work done in it's various de- partments MT. Davis did this. His rest less energy and absorbing interest would not let him stop there. He oversaw or at- tempted to oversee every detail of it's ac- complishment. His very interest clogged the eogs of the great machine, prevent ing even progress, sometimes causing a jar that threatened stoppage. There was lost motion, there was friction. And this cannot be justly referred to the cause sometimes ascribed for it-that he had