The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-09-28
DAvIs-LoGICAL CANDIDATE.

unity, coupled with utter absence of harmony between the president and the party majority in congress. For that req son, the Republican administration has been an impotent spectacle. On no im- portant measure has the Republican majority in congress been unit, or, if it was unit for few fleeting moments, it was at variance with the wishes of the chief executive. Doubtless no president ever met with so many instances in which his veto was overridden so often in so short a time Doubtless there was never president whose original recommends tions received such short shrift at the hands of his own party in congress. Not only was the party majority split into conflicting groups, but that majority also remained consistently at odds with the president.
 There is no reason to believe that this situation has changed. On the contrary, there is evidence that the presidential tactics at Cleveland widened m n y existing breaches and created others. If the present congress has been futile, be- cause of such condition, what could be expected of the next congress, with ag- gravated differences, if the same presi- dent is returned to power? Obviously, the country would be doomed to another four-year period of administrative impo- tence and congressional futility. The condition would in reality, be worse than ever, for. it is more than likely that many of the present Republican aspirants for reelection to house and senate will be disappointed and replaced by Democrats.
 There is then only one feasible way of restoring authority alike to congress and to president; only one way of making our government function as it was intended to function. That way is to elect John w. Davis to the presidency and to replace Republican members of congress with Democrats in order to sustain him in his authority. MT. Davis has behind him a united party. MT. Coolidge depends upon party that is divided, not only in it's of- ficial representation, but also among the rank and file of it's former supporters. A real leader of men might hope to com pose these differences, but MT. Coolidge has only served to make them more pro- nounced than ever. MT. Coolidge is not conciliator, but the opposite. If it is bad now, the chances are that it would rapidly become worse when the new con- gress assemblies next year, if MT. Cool idge is retained at the helm.
 MT. Davis, on the other hand, is just the type of man for which the people have been calling. He is honest; he is able; he is experienced in public admin istration; he is affable; he is well grounded in the economic principles un- derlying government, and he has that integrity of character we have been ac- customed to associate with our ideal of what president should be. The prompt ness with which the Democratic party differences apparent at the national con- vention disappeared when the choice fell upon. Davis is sure indication of the man. ner in which he would likewise unite be- hind him the Democratic strength in congress. His sanity in discussing public questions reveals the sensible course he would pursue in outlining legislative program and in administering the execu- tive responsibilities.
 In no respect has MT. Davis revealed his good sense more unmistakably than in his declaration that the hope of na- tional progress depends more at this juncture upon the proper application ot existing statutes than upon the enact ment of new ones. Presidents have usually been swept into office on their pledge to put this or that law on the statute books. It is easy to arouse popu- lar enthusiasm over the prospect of some law that promises cure for some condl- tion under which we writhe. But people are becoming more thoughtful than they used to be. They have been fooled too often. Now MT. Davis appeals to them in thoughtful vein, and tells them what they have long felt to be true, that the trouble has not been with the failure of congress to enact legislation, for there has been little failure in this direction, but with the failure of the chief execu- tive to administer the laws already en- acted.
 This nation has long witnessed the spectacle of presidents urging upon con- gress this statute or that. The people are now ready for some man who per ceives it his duty to enforce the laws and who promises to regard the admins tration of the laws as higher executive duty than the recommendation of new laws. John w. Davis subscribes to this novel idea. Why not give him an oppors tunity to try it?
 IGNORING sIBERT AND NOBLE.
 In presenting service crosses to Gen. eral w. L. Sibert and General Robert E.