The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-02-04

characteristic is concerned, but there
are times when the fires break loose
and expend their flames on the head
of the offender It is said that one
or two such things have happened in
the career of Joseph F. Davies. There
are a good many men in public life
and in business life who are likely to
become offenders against the proper
ties of government and business, and
on such as these the Celtic temper
sometimes breaks
There is one thing that is certain,
Joseph e. Davies loves his home state,
and he has an abiding affection for his
educational alma mater He attended
the public schools Of Watertown, Wis,
graduated from the high school in
1894 with a class of which he was the
valedictorian. He at once entered the
University of Wisconsin and was
chosen president of the freshman
class. On graduation he was both
class day and commencement orator.
While he was attending the university
he was made athletic instructor. He
was one of the winning team in the
! ulinois-Wisconsin intercollegiate de-
bate. He graduated in law in 1901,
and in the year following he was made
temporary chairman of the Democrat
ic state convention.
At the beginning Of his administra-
tion President Wilson gave Mr.. Davies
an opportunity to accept or decline
two high Offices of government, the
assistant secretaryship of war and
the governor generalship of the Phil
ippines. Both Of these offices the Wis
consin man declined. Later, however,
he accepted the position of commits
sioner of corporations, a place which
his record in the law made him seem
peculiarly fit.
Into the campaign of 1912 in behalf
of Woodrow Wilson Mr.. Davies en-
tered as a battling figure. He was as
prominent in the Wilson movement
in the middle West and the West as
was the Princeton man, William n.
McCombs, in the East. Mr.. Davies
was a Wilson follower prior to the
nomination of the present president
at Baltimore At the convention he
joined forces with Mr. McCombs in the
struggle which finally was successful
in securing the presidents nomination.
During the election campaign Mr..
Davies directed the Democratic forces
in virtually all the western and mid
die western states.
Here is Mr. Davies definition of the
government body over which he pre-
sides as chairman:
we might put it this way" he
said. The trade commission is the
traffic police force to see that the
rules of the road on what we may
term the industrial highways of the
nation are maintained. 1t is to COM
pei the big touring car, in the use of
those highways, not to disregard the
rights of the little one, but to accord
it its due share of the road"
Washington men have characterized
this as a rather striking characterize
ton Of the functions Of the trade COM
mission. Of course the big touring
car is big business" and the small
touring car is little business"
The government, ever since men
began to think progressively, has
been trying to get fair trade condi-
tions. Joseph z. Davies of Wisconsin
today is at the head OF the commits
sion which has this work in large part
in hand. He has not been long in
the present office. The future is ahead
Of him and it is up to him tC make as
good in his new office as the records
show beyong cavil that he has made
good in other walks Of life.