The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-10-27
THE FINAL DRIVE

W1Cn Cn1S week begins the 11nd1 uIlNS for the presidency. The lines every where are tightening, and every influ- ence is being exerted to victory for each camp. Of course, all cannot win. Some body must lose. There is growing be- lief that the Republicans do not deserve to win, and should lose. It is unfortu- nate, as Mir. McAdoo recently said, that the forces honestly progressive coull not have united under one banner. That would have meant certain Republican defeat at the polls. As it is, the election may be referred to the house of repre- sentatives, if not even to the senate. It is hoped that it will not be referred to the senate, for that would mean the se- lection of one of the vice presidential candidates to the highest office, and no party selected it's second man on the ticket with that outcome prominently Tn mind. MT. Bryan is a good man, but the Democrats want MT. Davis to be their president.
 It is felt that the house would choose Mir. Davis, because the Democrats will have almost majority, if not quite, and it is certain that much of the LaFollette support will incline to Davis rather than Coolidge. Otherwise, they would prove tbAt their support of the LaFollette re- volt has not been sincere. It is futile to speculate on the outcome, however. The best policy is more practical one. It consists in a determined Democratic onslaught, a final charge, against the intrenchments of Republican privilege. It consists in a Democratic determlna- tion to get out and vote on election day. The Democrats have everything to win by making a vigorous final effort, just as they have much to lose if they do not. For Republican success means contln- uation of the high cost of everything, due to the imposition of the tariff.
 The Democrats must also not forget the official record of the Republican party. The initial disclosures in the naval oil lease trials in California serve to corroborate the testimony brought out in senate inquiries relating to the shame full manner in which our naval reserves were bartered away to private oil com panies. Secretary Daniels had made thorough study of the seepages from the various fields, and had arranged for the number of offset wells deemed by ex- perts necessary to prevent loss into pri- vate wells. By the arrangement he made in order to protect the govern ment's defensive program, the navy re- ceived many times as great percentage of the oil thus drawn as it would receive if the Fall contracts should be upheld. In the Daniels program, only enough oil would be drawn to offset seepage, which would be a very small part of the entire supply. In the Fall program, the gov' ernment would lose practically all the protective and defensive value of the reserves, while the final percentage of oil received would be less than five per cent, as against the Daniels sixty per cent.
 Because the Republicans have not seen fit to repudiate these official acts, and because the administration was so palpably sympathetic with the plight into which the inquiries plunged Messrs' Denby, Fall and others, it is quite evi- dent that they do not regard strict in tegrity in handling public trust as an indispensable possession for an office holder. The people will endorse that at titude in this election, or they will re- pudiate it. The way to repudiate it is to vote for and elect John w. Davis.