Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1904-08-27
MR.. DAVIS ACCEPTS
Democratic Candidate for Vice President Replies in
Vigorous Speech to Mastery Address of hoti-
fication Delivered by John Sharp Williams.

you should be elected vice president il
will be one OF your duties as sort OF
heir apparent to the crown to train
yourself and influence your chief
Judge Parker-in the way of usurplnp
the functions of the other departments
Of the government Your opportunity
will not be as great as that Of the presi'
dent himself. but as president Of the
senate, you may have some OPP
pOrtunity
I'm conclusion sir, pray for war-no-
body can tell what great things war Will
end in when once begun. II might result
in making of your chief the first en-
peror and lord protector of the western
hemisphere
Remember above all things that our
chief duty as citizens. but especially as
rulers, is not to be 'weakllngs' or COW
ards A weaking, sir. is strangely
domesticated animal who listens before
he acts and who weighs evidence before
he decides. who modestly yenerates
greatness others, who actually pre-
fers piping times Of peace to the
'pomp and circumstances of glorious
war. Weaklings are men who fear the
strenuous life, the only national life
that is really worth the living the life
of crown-cuony- conquest, the life mill
tant. in a word. We arc getting to be as
n people, your committee is glad to say,
splendidly military. A flag, brass band
and choice collection Of epaulets. es-
corting a secretary Of war to and from
the depot In Washington when he au-
eustly leaves or arrives, appeal to the
higher fights of our patriotic imagina-
tion as nothing else does or can.
Assails Speech of Root.
at has been pleasure TO us TO co our
duty, to notify you of your nomination.
This has been pleasure, notwthstand-
ing the feet that you had already been
In manner notified by Elihu Root, who,
while pretendedly notifying Senator
Fairbanks, could not set his mind off'n
you as the darkies say, and whose
speech consisted principally in saying,
Go to. thou are an old man. and in be-
moaning the fact that you might posi-
bly, die before you got to be president.
So might he for that matter.
On further comment upon Elihu
Roots notification Of your nomination
will hazard the remark, In reply to one
of exceeding good taste on his part, that
1t Is better to run the risk of lncurring
as In due course of the flesh We all must,
physical inability than to have been
born with that peculiar metal inability
for any possible task In life which con-
slsts Of taking ourselves too seriously
and nobobdy else with respect of rever
ence'
Davis Reply to Williams.
"Mr. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
Committee: The official notification
which you bring OF my nomination for
the vice presidency of the United States
by the national democracy gives me a
feeling of the sincerest gratitude to my
party for the honor conferred. AT the
same time it brings to me deep sense OF
my responsibility to my party as can
didate and to my country in case of my
"a spirit OF determination to succeed.
in the campaign before MS appears to
pervade the rank and file of our party In
all sections of the country. OF that rank
and file | have for many years been
and have at all times devoted
my humble powers to party success, be-
leving that success to be for the coun-
try's good. Unexpectedly called as
am now to the forefront, am impelled
to an acceptance OF the obligation by a
sense of gratitude to my fellow workers
and the hope that It may be able the
better to assist in restoring to powey
that party whose principles and past
history guarantee a safe, wise, econom-
ical and constitutional administration
of the government,
81 find It, therefore, great pleasure,
standing here upon the borderland of
the two Virginias, to receive and accept
the commission you bear and to send
greetings through you to the democracy
of the entire country. II is not signil-
cant of closer and truer brotherhood
among us that for the first time since
he civil war a nominee on the national
ticket has been taken from that sec
tion of our common country that lies
south of Mason and Dixon's lne--a hap
by recognition of the obliteration of all
sectional differences which led to and
followed that unhappy struggle?
Declares Himself for Gold.
AS an Introductory to the few remarks
shall make desire to say that heart
lily indorse the platform upon which J
have been nominated and, with the con-
vention and its nominee for president,
regard the present monetary standard
of value as irrevocably established.
In the campaign proceeding the last
election much stress was laid by repub-
ican speakers upon the prosperous con-
lition Of the country and forebodings
we're heard of the Ill results, especially
to the laborng man, which would follow
any change in the political complexion
)f the government
TT is true that the times then were
good, but II is no less a fact that, while
there has been no change in the party
IN power. many OF the evils prophesied
have come under republican rule Four
years ago factories, mills, mines and fur
laces were in active operation, unable
10 supply the demand but now many are
closed and those that are open are being
operated with reduced force on short
hours. Then wages were high, labor
was scarce and there was work for all.
Now work is scarce, many wage earn
ers unemployed and wages reduced. The
apprehension which now prevails in
business circles and the present unsatis-
'actory industrial condition of the coun-
try seem to demand political change.