The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1916-04-07
CAPTAIN DAVIS EXPLAINS

IN communication to the Times
Qapt. +. c. Davis offers a correction
10 the report published last week o.
th meeting addressed here March 81
by Hon. p. W. Davis. also Repub,
iican candidat for governor. The cap
sain's letter. which is self expIana
tory, is as follows;
Editor Times: In your report OF ths
ID. w. Davis meeting held at Merid
Ian You inadvertently, no doubt
completely misrepresented what Mr.
Davis answered In reply TO my ques-
tion as 10 wðer he would be will
ling TO meet me in debate on the
matter he Is discussing as basis for
his campaign for the goyernorship.
You said;
Captain Il. O. Davis. who was
present. asked the speaker II q Joint
debate could be arranged 10 take
place at Meridian. The request ere
Rted some surprise In the audience
In reply the speaker said that while
he felt that as a business man he
was hardly able To properly meet on
the platform lawyer, whose BUSH
mesa II is 70 debate. he was so thor
oughly impressed with the value of
the plan to capitalize the resources
OF our state. that he would gladly
avail himself OF the opportunity.
Now as a matter OF fact what Sem
ator Davis said was that he had no
objection TO my following him over
the state and speaking against his
h4&e An
meet me In debate. You. am sure.
did not wish TO mlsrepresent this
matter, and will no doubt be glad to
print this correction.
On March goth. prior 10 the date of
the Meridian meeting. I addressed
the following letter to Senator
Davis
March 20, 1916.
Senator DIV Davis, American Falls,
Idaho. My Dear Senator: AZ basis
OF your campaign for thu governor
ship ,yon are contending that Idaho
can and should be made taxless
state. In support OF this contention
You gave cut certain figures and cal
cuIations at meeting of the State
Bankers Association at Weiser, In
June, 1918.
assume that you believe your the
DRY sound, your figures In support
thereof correct, and that you will
welcome an opportunity 10 defend
them. On the other hand. II II can
be shown that your theory Is not
sonnd and that your figures and cal
culations are erroneous. l assume
that YOU Will be willing to admit
that they should not, TN candor and
honesty. be made the basis of cam
paign for the governorship.
! invite you, therefore to meet me
In Joint debate at Pocatello. Twin
Falls. Boise. Preston, Blnckfoot,
Idaho Falls. Weiser. Gooding. 'Cald-
we'll or Nampa. or at any number OF
these places. for the purpose OF de-
tending your theory and figures, the
meeting or meetings to be held at
any time within the next six weeks
and the cost OF advertising and hold
ing the same to be divided equally
between us.
II wholly agreeable to you, the
question may be stated as follows
and ! shall assume the Affirmative:
Resolved that Idaho cannot be
made a taxless state by the plan adj
vocated by Senator ID. w. Davis.and
that the figures advanced by him In
HIS speech before the State Bankers
Convention at Weiser In June, 1918.
certain erroneous assumptions which
enter into and vitiate all his caleu-
lationa and conclusions"
This invitation 20 debate Ia extended
In all friendliness.T The results should
be 20 bring out and emphasize what
YOU regard as the special merits OF
your theory. or TO expose what | re-
gard as It's economic failaey.
WIN you please let me hear your
decision at your earliest conven-
fence? Yours very sincerely.
II. q. DAVIS.
Senator Davis has not acknow.
lodged receipt OF this letter. neither
has he accepted nor declined the in
yitation 70 debate.
A comparison OF the Weiser speech
with that delivered at Meridian dis
closes the fact that the figures used
are entirely different This shows
that after my criticism OF his Weiser
figures he found II necessary to abb
andon them. without admitting, how
ever that they we're ia error. This
discloses the fatal weakness OF the
argument which Is used to show that
Idaho can be made q taxless state.
when one set OF assumptions, or one
see Of figures. are found TO be in err
ror IL is perfectly easy 10 discard
them for q new lot. It's another case
OF wishing for hundred million doll
lars because Its Just as easy 10 wish
Tor hundred million as for one
Yours truly,
CAPTAIN n nAWyQ