The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-03-13

expected. reminiscent flashes of the
school OF others years and other
times. Old age rarely adjusts itself
perfectly to the new order.
AS Thomas Jefferson was the faith
err of agriculture In the nation. so
Henry G. Davis may be said to have
been the father of the department of
agriculture OF our government. To
have been the author of that would
he honor. glory and monument
enough for any OF our living states
men. Captious critics may arise TO
point out that the law that created
this department does not bear the
name of Davis. That would ne quite
truthful. 1t does not. But host
Of reliable authorities accord him the
credit of making the success of such
thing possible by years of agrees
s!ve and unremltting agitation. day
In and day out. in the years he was II
federal senator. until there came ac-
compllshed reality.
In some Of HIS public ADDRESSED
he seldom spoke in public without
notes and thorough preparation. for
he was by no means n public speaker
may again, here and there. be
found impresEes Of Jetfersonian
teachings. For instance: Liberty
and free government have always
been secured at the cost of great sac
rlfices." he said on one occasion. "but
history teaches us that both can be
easily lost without the knowledge OF
the people. There are many more
passages of this kind. and many.
many passages of the soundest. most
othodox political economy before
the recent years OF the reformation"
and before bull moosery" came to
be fixed term In our national politi-
cal history and to stand for a more
or less fixed (far more less than 9TH
erwlse. just now) political principle.
In political belief. Henry Gassaway
Davis was the opposite-and that best
explains him on that score.
In his personal life. however. 1t Is
very much to be believed that the
disciple outdid in simplicity Jefferson
himself. II the latter's biographers
may be relied on. Thomas INDUCED
in great many frills, frIvols and fes-
tivities. and life with him was about
as luxurious as his political philoso-
ply was democratic. simplicity. AS
the saying goes. Thomas did not al
ways practice what he preached
Henry G. Davis did. There was nc
high-life in his long life; it was the
/ highest complication of perfectly
ordered simplicity. Which ls not tc
say. that THE Grand Old Man OF
West Virginia" was not mixer with
his fellows. and lacked the human
pulse which makes all men brothers
He was a mixer par excellent. n real
mans man. with red blood. with a
handclasp from the heart. and smile
! that played in and around his blue
eyes that no picture OF him fails tc
show plainly. BattalIons OF cameras
which he faced through the many
years as a public man. have left the
proof of the perennial play OF thai
\ smile by which you caught n glimpse
tof the soul within. His manner was
oourtly and gracious. and altogether
justified the hackneyed. but invalua
bile description, because none Other
so we'll applies to such personality
ia gentleman of the old school.
Jefferson rode on horseback because
Z there was nothing else for him t.
ride. Henry G. Davis preferred Z
horses back to a limousine.
It Is somewhat premature. as wei
az hazardous. to guess at history
estimate OF his man-history us It hal
to do in writing the record Of our owl