Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-11-04
ISSUE Of HONESTY
STRESSED BY DAVIS
Candidate Makes Final Ap.
peal to Voters in Radio
Address.
Rr the Associated PresG

| By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, November 4.-John W.
| Davis closed his campaign last night
with an address over the radio, the
first ever made by a presidential can
didate on the even of election day. ..
| The nominee spoke in the presence
| of the smallest audience and in the
| smallest room he has visited as a
! speaker during the campaign. Not
| more than 20 persons were present
] Yet he was heard by numbers too
/ great even for radio experts to esti-
mate. His words were sent out by a
chain of broadcasting stations, with
an aggregate power to carry them to
listeners-in of every State.
1t was his final effort to present
the issues that the people might pass
judgment on them" He spoke mot
merely as candidate appealing for
your votes, but as an American speak
| ing to Americans concerning matters
that involve our -common welfare and
the future Of our beloved country"
Text OF Address.
| The full text follows:
MY fellow citizens:
| Through this most miraculous of
| all modern inventions, l am enabled to-
| night TO give to the people Of the United
| States a closing word concerning the
| issues of this campaign and the duty
| that awaits them tomorrow. I wish
| to do SO in no spirit of partisanship
| or self-seeking; not merely as can
! date appealing for your votes, but as
| an American speaking to Americans
| concerning matters that involve our
| common welfare and the future of our
| beloved country. Whether I who talk
| and you who listen are of the same
political faith is matter of secondary
| i'm portance, if we are all devoted to
America and to American ideals, de-
| termined to seek what is right and
pursue it, and willing to think first of
our country and only thereafter Of
ourselves. The rule we should ap-
ply to every governmental problem
| may be expressed in language which
| I borrow from another: That which Is
| right can harm no man, that which is
wrong can profit no man: though all
| other lights swing and circle this is
the pole star by which We may safe
| ly steer
Scramble for Omees.
political campaigns and popular
| elections should be something more
! than a mere scramble for offices. In
| the ranks of every party there are
| able and patriotic men competent to
| fill any position to which their coun-
| trymen may call them, and parties
| themselves are simply the agencies
through which the people can express
their will. There are higher and
finer things than party victory or
political success. In the mind of
every man and woman who goes to
the polling places tomorrow the ques-
| ton which should be uppermost is
| the plain question of right or wrong.
Not every one can tell what policies
| in government are wise or unwiSe,
what laws are workable or unworkas
| BILE, sound or unsound. Even the most
| impartial experts will differ about
! such questions as these. But every
| one of us, il we will but listen to
| the voice of conscience, can say what
| is fair and what is unfair, what is
moral and what is immoral, what Is
| right and what is wrong. We owe II
| to ourselves and to our country; we
owe it to our children and those who
| shall come after US to vote accord
| inglY.
will the fathers and mothers of
! the country be satisfied to set before
| their children who are to take up
the burdens of citizenship any lesser
standard than one of absolute hon
| esty?
| Corruption of OnaciaIs.
l
| does not know that corruption on
the part of public officials is not only
! wrong in itself, but crime against
! free government. No matter to what
party one belongs. he should be
ready to condemn it, the only diff
| ference, as Theodore Roosevelt once
said, being that he should condemn
1t more severely and promptly in his
own party than in the ranks Of a
party for which he is not responsible.
| This is the first election held since
the corruption at Washington was
exposed, and the only way in which
the citizens of the country can ex-
press their opinion concerning it is
by their votes. 1t it right or wrong
for any man or woman to hold back
from that expression? If they do,
what right have they to complain
hereafter If corruption should break
| out again, no matter what party
| might be in power?
| To sin by silence when we should protest
| Makes towards out Of men. The human race
| has climbed on protest. Had no voice been
| raised
Against injustice, ignorance and lust.
| The fnqutsition vet would serve the law
| And guillotines decide our least disputes.
| The Few who dare must speak, and speak
| again.
To right the wrongs Of many.