The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1923-11-09
DAVIS HISTORY
IS STORY THAT
PR0MP IS WORK
Commissioner Overcame
Many Handicaps to
Reach Various High
Positions
(From Washington Post.l }

The appointment OF David William
Davis of Idaho to head the Federal
Bureau of Reclamation directed at
tention to an interesting chapter in
that big national volume called Am
erica means Opportunity"
Immigrant baby. coal miner at II.
clerk in a store, manager of farmers
association, cashier of a bank, presi-
dent of another, trustee of a college,
State Senator, Governor, captain of
National irrigation-these are the as
cending labels on the rungs of the
Davis ladder. And there is room for
more.
David Lloyd George and David Will
liam Davis were born at points not
many miles apart on that little lump
of British coal called Wales The
father of David William was a miner
and when he brought his family to the
New World in 1875, settled at Angus.
Iowa, a small hamlet in a coal mining
district so miles northwest OF Des
Moines. Here "where the tall corn
grows" above the ground and black
diamonds beneath, little red-haired
Davie grew to boyhood and manhood.
He began to acquire the three RS
at the Angus district school the same
year that a clever young attorney,
named Albert Baird Cummins, moved
from Chicago to Des Moines to prac-
tice law College educations were not
in style in western Iowa at that time.
The Goliath of Want" was threaten
ing the Davis household, and, like his
Biblical namesake, the boy David
came to the rescue He left the shanty
school house at twelve to work in the
coal mines and help support his family.
Like Lincoln and Edison and other
notable Americans, he continued to
educate himself in the spare moments
that many boys fritter away. From
this self-training he acquired an under
standing of the value of education
which served him we'll when later he
became a trustee of Gooding College
In Idaho.
Forced by circumstances to become
a breadwinner at twelve, the boy miner
early developed bump for business.
From trading jackknives with his COM
panions between shifts, he graduated
to selling Goldfish and calico in a
country store. The customers liked
him and he advanced in the esteem OF
his employers and the community
Leaving the store, he became manager
of a farmers cooperative emporium
and in 1899, at the age of 20, we hnd
him in the cashiers cage of bank at
Rippey. Iowa.
Then a cloud appeared on the DAVIS
horizon. The cashier Of the Bank oi
Rippey had dynamo too big Tor MS
motor In other words, he had more
energy than physical stamina Inc
rough, insantitary life OF the mines had
retarded development OF body natur'
ally frail, and years of hard driving
on the job at hand finally broke down
that body. In 1905, in search OF heal'r
Davis reluctantly left the coal ano
corn of the Hawkeye State in cover
ed wagon headed for the great north
west.
Desert air and sunshine worked
wonders on the constitution and by
laws of the Iowa emigrant In lso'
he established the First National ban'
at American Falls, Idaho, and th''
place has since been his home IRON
here his rise has been rapid. I'M
people of Idaho who know him bes
have showercd honors upon HIM. I'M
scriotural name David has beer
translated by a host OF admirers 10 u
English equivalent, "the beloved.
David w. Davis went up to TN
Executive Mansion at Boise IN i'iS
lie had served in the State Serate a.
a leader, had been active in war WORK
and his influence in banking circle
had elevated him to the presidency o
the Idaho State Bankers Association
He enjoyed a wide reputation as al
able executive, and was elected on
platform plcdging business admins
tra,ion.
Political platforms are fFequen'l
referred to as devices to get in on
party platform without plank pleos
ing economy and good business ser
vice would be like apple pic wi'hou
cbe,s. or movie thriller wi,hou