Evening star., 1924-09-23

courage more voters to vote. 1t il
vital thing for US all that the people
should shake off their political
lethargy. / am for the shorter bal
lot and as few elections as possible
The sound principle seems to me that
all policy-framing officials should be
elected, but all purely administrative
oficials should be appointed, The
adoption of that principle, 1t seems to
ing the ballot and eliminating cleo
tions-both extremely desirable
things.
FavOrx Political Machines.
81 am not one Of those who op-
pose political organizations or ma
chimes. i am a believer in organiza-
tions in politics as well as in every
thing else. With the evident disin :
clination of the voters to vote, the
political machines do for the people
what they decline to do for them
selves and, if we had no machines,
under existing conditions, the pro-
portion of voters would be very much
less than now. and the fools and fam
atics in each community would have
their way with us.
The evils of which we complain in
political machines are probably not
as great as those which the machines
avert. If every political machine in
the country were abolished overnight
we would have a condition of cha os
and disorder bordering on anarchy
until new machines sprang up and
took hold, is they inevitably would.
Il am not against machines except
when they are corrupt. Honest ma
chimes seem to me essential, and it
would be hard to see how, with the
pH tn
inert and Indifferent our political
system could De made to function
without them. Whenever the voters
become politically informed and active
they can. of course, run their politics
regardless OF machines. | ann for
anything that will tend in that di-
rection.
Greatest Thrill in Life.
Going back to his early days at the
law. Mr.. Davis said that he does not
know what the future has in store for
him. but the most moving moment Of
his life up to date came nearly 80
years ago, down in Virginia. at Wash
ington and Lee College. He has had
many experiences since that day. He
has been Ambassador to England
and he has been nominated for the
| presidency of the United States by a
great political party. but that thrill
| of 80 years ago still remains the big
one.
What happened was this-he had
| been graduated from the law school
| the year before, and intended to &C
| back to Clarksburg to begin the prac-
tice of law with his father. But the
| president of the college prevailed on
| him to spend a year an assistant
instructor at the college. He did sc
\ ri at h. 81 h a II. "A
| that the time had come to go home
The college offered him an increase
in salary to stay and a raise in rank
to associate professor. He .efused
| Then a day or SO later. they came
! back with another increase in salary
and a raise in rank to full professor
/ He asked a day to think il over
and then refused again, on the
ground that the time had come for
him to take up active practice and
that he felt it would be mistake for
him to hold off another year.
Acclaimed by Associates.
The college heads finally acquiesced d
in his decision. Then came the com
mencement, and. to use Mr. Davis
| own words. there was presented
read and adopted a resolution con-
corning me and my work so far above
NY ueSeTlS tHdt was dppdIleO. IL
also had the shock of a complete sur
prise, and the roar of applause that
followed the reading was terrifying
Then everybody looked at me and
there was nothing to do but go to it
and so | did. | do not in the least
remember what I said. but when
ended the class charged the platform
! have no hesitation in saying that
that moment. as 1 saw them coming
was the most moving OF my life.
expect to be elected President but
do not believe l will ever have an
other like it
Mr.. Davis does not regard himself
as a New forker-never has, never
will. Born a West Eirginian." he
says, Il will in thought and feeling
|. be/a West Nirginian until | die. no
matter where l lve-and when l die
| expect to be buried there in the
nils around Clarksburg, where | first