Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-05-08
WHO "JEFF" DAVIS Is.
The Newest Picturesque United States
Senator.

Senator.
Arkansas Is going to send to the
United States Senate, Governor jeff
Davis, who is, like Tillman, a "corn-
field lawyer" and proud Of 1t. Staid
old Senator James H. Berry has been
defeated In the state primary, and
Davis's nomination by the Democrat
ic party is believed to be equivalent
to election. He Is a politician who
fiourishes at close range with a con-
stituency that depends upon oral, not
printed campaign arguments. He
has been attorney general once and
thrice governor. He is forty-four
years old.
JEFF" as he Is familiarly known,
knows what turn will please the class
of voters which he wishes to reach.
The absence Of an issue Is no bar to
him. He Is the issue himself He
always has appealed to the back
county" farmer and the laborer, play
ing upon their sympathies and on
their prejudices. He is a good story
teller and a man Of great personal
magnetism, which he knows how to
employ to advantage. In his cam
paigns Jeff" devoted the greater
part of his time to the smaller towns
and to the country districts, for here
his strength lies.
In his campaign for COVER nor, Da-
Wis devised an appeal to sympathy
which incidentally proved a great ad-
vertisement for a proprietary medi-
that a street fakir could we'll have
copied as an aid to selling the COM
pound. Charges Of trickery and
fraud were being hurled at him from
which he claimed he was under great
nervous strain. He would stop In the
middle of a vigorous address, the
Precipitation pouring from his face,
and dramatically uncork a bottle and
pour the contents down his back and
BOSOM. He was charged by his oppo-
nents with spending more money for
this medicine than for his railroad
fare in the campaign.
His recent race for United States
senator was devoid OF many CT
the picturesque plays which indelibly
impressed his personality upon the
minds of the people Of his native
state.
"Do you know what is the matter
with those fellows down there In Lit
tie Rock?" he would say. II can tell
you. They're mad. They're mad as
can be because they are not in office
any more. I turned the whole set Of
high conared roosters out when
was first elected your governor, and
put the men from the plough han
dies in their places"
For all, that, he had well-oiled,
efficient political machine.
In his second campaign for gov
ernor, Davis wore an old white hat
similar to those worn by the resi-
dents Of the districts he visited. A
pair of home-knit white socks could
be plainly seen above his shoe tops
while fastened diagonally across his
shoulders would be- single suspen-
der strap.
"Those city folks down there won't
speak to me-" he would say. I'm
not dressed up enough for them"
and Off the coat would come and ex-
pose the one "gallus."
Before his third term as governor,
Davis made a campaign for vindica-
ton, so he styled 1t. He had been
charged with apprepriating part Of
his contingent fund, allowed by the
state, to his personal use. He was
arraigned before a special COMMITTEES
of the legislature, and impeachment
was much talked Of, but 1t failed.
Davis recently closed all the gam
bling houses, pool rooms and Sunday
saloons at Hot Springs, and appoint
ed a prosecuting attorney, on the
recommendation Of the ministers OF
that city, who. he believes, will en-
force the law. This followed a cool
ness between him and the Hot
Springs officials, who were for Berry
In the senatorial race.
Davis's political promises always
have been made good after election
and he has made tactful use Of his
appointive power. He Is quick to see
a deception, Is a master of details,
knows everybody In Arkansas" and
is conceded to be a good lawyer.
Those who claim to know him best
say that his methods will be more re-
fined after a few months residence
in Washington.-Chica Journal.