The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-07
DAVIS PLEDGES
 TAX REFORMS
 AND FREIGHT CUT
Democratic Nominee Opens Farm Drive In
 Omaha Speech
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from the halls of the capitol when the republicans were returned to power the same hordes returned and practically wrote their own tariff rates.
 Mir. Davis was frequently interrupted by applause when he insisted that in the light of the stated and published record denying responsibility for, the presence of Charles G. Dawes and his colleagues at the reparations conference, the ad- ministration could not claim the result as an accomplishment of its own.e ; There was even mora laughter and applause when Mir. Davis began his attack on the republican farm relief program as outlined by Mir. Dawes Referring to the proposal to again refer the question to a commission, Mir. Da- wis said. "I can smell the moth balls now."
 After the ceremonies at the audito. rum tonight, MT. Davis and Governor Bryan departed for Lincoln, where the presidential candidate will, be the guest of the governor tomorrow before pro- ceeding to Denver where he is to ar. rive Monday and where on Wednes- day night he will deliver the second sci address of his western campaign.
 Enough Investigation
 Taking up the republican proposal as outlined by Charles c. Dawes, the entire farm relief problem be submit ted to an impartial, non-partisan, com. petent commission, under economic gnid' ance," Mr. Davis asserted that there already had been sufficient investiga' tion and charged that in proposing q new one the administration was "seak' ing to evade decision on matters oi principle"
 "The democratic party" Mir. Davis said, "has a definite program by means of which we hope to restore to the farm CT the economic equality of which he has been unjustly deprived.
 This program is made up of both administration and legislation. am not sure that of these honest and eff fective administration is not the more important. No law, however beneficial in it's purposes, can accomplish good results if it is badly administered. Il is quite as important to the farmers of the United States that existing agen cies should be administered to their in terest as it is that new laws should bt passed for their aid and benefit. =.
 Has Peculiar Interest
 "While the farmer shares the gen. eral interest of every citizen in good government, he has peculiar interest in some of it's activities. The depart ment of agriculture, created in 1888 under a. democratic president, and pre- sided over in it's early days by great citizen of Nebfaska-J. Sterling Nor ton--has done much for the welfare | of the American farmers. iUnquestion kably it can and it should dc. more. II has devoted the larger share of its ,ae Etivity in the past to problems of pro duction; it should be stimulated nov to think in terms of marketing and dis tributing.. The farmer should be aided in the study of his costs and assisted in building up nationwide systems .0i cooperative marketing. The depart 'ment should be rid of political influ. ence, and presided over by secretary competent, courageous and loyal to: the best interests of agriculture and care should be taken to see that its entire personnel is the same character. a. Should Ban Prejudice 5:-
 "The interstate commerce commission with it's control over railroad rates the farm loan board and the federal reserve board with their control over credits, and the federal tariff commits sion with it's present. powers of>inves tigation and review, all deal with. in terests vital to agriculture. No persoT biased or prejudiced for or against any particular class or interest should, bt permitted to sit on any of these bodies Personal honesty alone is not a suf ficient qualification. Intelligence and impartiality and courage are equally demanded.
 Equally important to the farmer are the Department of Justice and the Fed eral Trade commission. It is to an able and alert federal trade commission that the public must look for protection and l defense.
 According to my view, the respon- sibility for providing such an admins tration rests upon the shoulders of him who is chosen to be president Of the United States. He may share with others the burdens of the task his responsibility he cannot divide. It is his business to select fit men for of flee, and when mistakes in selection are made to be prompt in their correc' tion. He need not wait for congression' al committees OK grand juries to point them out; now can he or the party that he leads escape responsibility on the plea of general good character Ol fair intent. It is his business to give the people a government honest all the | way through. If such is wished of the American people, I shall not seek tc escape the duty or avoid the respOn' sibility for it's performance"
 BIAmes Republicans
 Reviewing the plight of the farmer and the contributing causes, MT. Davis said the chief complaint of agrieal' ture today is that it no longer enjoys economic equality with industry and commerce. Placing the blame for this condition on the Republican party. the democratic nominee ceciared IL was ignorant or insincere"f to cry out against the. farm bloc in Congress as if it were a new thing.
 Launching then into a denunciation of "the oppressive Fordner-McCumber tariff, Mir. Dawes charger the repub' licans with having sought to delude the =