Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-08-12
HONESTY AND ENVIRONMENT

You will understand. with little
explanation on my part, the feelings
which have led me to fix our meet
ing at this spot in the hills OF West
Virginia" said Mr. Davis in his
acceptance.
Now without denying to MI Davis
those emotions he so eloquently and
graphically expressed In the eight Of
his native hills, we venture to express
an understanding not explained by
him. but rather by Senator Walsh in
bis speech notifying the candidate Of
! his nomination at New York.
Had this address been made in Lo-
Gust Valley. within sight Of the
mansions Of his rich neighbors, many
OF them clients OF his, the assemblage
might have been reminded forcibly
OF the environments in which Mr..
Davis has lived the mature years Of
his Efe, those with whom he has daily
associated and with whose views It Is
but fair to suppose he has some
sympathy.
Environment necessarily exercises
an influence on the best Of us: II
cannot be otherwise. Nor in that Of
Mr.. Davis at Locust Valley need there
be anything essentially wrong, in
| fact, but something which might be
| considered wrong in the fancy Of the
common folks. To these he is max
ing appeal. and he is not making it
fairly. He is trying TO pose as the
only honest candidate OF an only hon
est party. We think from what we
learn that Mr.. Davis is habitually an
honest and an able man, but he lulls
/ his honesty. as the advocate of the
Democratic party at the bar Of pub
lie opinion, and pleads. like a hired
lawyer, that party's claim that the
Republican party and administration
are corrupt. He knows better his
party knows better. Neither the Re-
! publican nor the Democratic party
intends to manage the governments
affairs dishonesty, but the Demo-
Gratis Will not have 1t so; Mr.. Davis
will not have it so. They insist tho
| Republican party and the Republican
administration are dishonest and they
are dishonest when they say IT. Let
them take their own medicine.
Here Is some of It, passed out by
Senator Walsh in his notification
speech. referring to the fact that Mr..
Davis had been an attorney for gil
ganttc business interests whose poll
icy the speaker declared had aroused
quite general Indignation"
He does not mention anywhere
any expression of indignation from
Mr.. Davis.
Then Senator Walsh proceeds to
make apologies for the candidate he
Is notifying. He says Mr.. Davis
had only represented them in the ca =
pacity Of legal adviser. adding that a
lawyer may honestly defend one ac-
cused OF murder or trN-son."
Very true. but need the lawyer
seek his habitstion and association
with murderers and traitors
! With whom has John w. Davis
sought habitation and association but
with the men whose policies Senator
Walsh declares have aroused quite
| general indignation?
| Yet Senator Walsh declares that
honesty in government" is a para
mount political issue and Candidate
Davis parrots it. makes II the Demo-
cratic slogan, presumably because OF
the fact that there Is no honest slogan
! available.
Small potatoes and few in the hill,
and the Honorable John W. Davis.
affecting the habiliments of overalls
and posing as the man with the hoe.
doesn't make a very impressive figure
at digging them out.
! Turn from his boyhood hills in
West Virginia to the cultured land
scape of Locust Valley Compare
what you see with tbs environments
OF Calvin Coolidge, boy and man,
! never out OF touch with the people
whom Lincoln thought the Almighty
must have liked as he made so many
of them. II there be anything in en-
viroament, any susceptibilities to It's
undoubted influences. IL there be evil
! dence Of strength Of character and
breadth Of understanding in one who
can associate with the great and the
little on equal terms, who can speak
the thought, can comprehend the
need of all those who are doing the
constructive work, in all its various
capacities then Calvin Coolidge has
il all over John w. Davis. And. at
that, we would be more magnani-
nous than are the Democrats. We
would admit that their candidate is
reputed to be good citizen and an
able man. But he says The time de-
mands plain speaking"