The Delta independent., 1924-07-11
DAVIS AND BRYAN
NOMINATED BY
DEMOCRATS
Democratic National Convention Is
Longest Affair in History of
Political Parties

mosphere of n campaign unparalleled
in the history of any political party
! John W. Davis of West Virginia,
emerged victorious as the Democratic
nominee for president after 103 bal
lots had been taken to determine that
one faction did not want Al Smith
of New York, while another faction
was equally determined that it should
not be William Gibbs McAdoo of Cali
1 fornia,
The convention opened on Tuesday
June "a, and nearly a week was con.
sumed in determining details in con-
nection with the platform. Balloting
for president started Monday, June
80, and terminated with the nomina.
tion of Charles Bryan, governor Of Ne
braska, for vice president, at 2:15 A,
M. Thursday, July 10.
Life Sketch of Davis.
What is life worth after all if one
has no philosophy Of his own to live
by?" John w Davis wrote a friend
who had suggested he abandon his cor
poration law practice in order to in.
crease his availability as a presiden-
tial candidate.
The friend wrote that Davis had a
good chance for the Democratic nomi-
nation if he would withdraw from the
law firm with which he had long been
associated and which numbered the
Morgan interests among its clients
Davis scored trimming his profes-
sional course to fit the gusts of popu-
lar opinion"
Davis is West Virginian, a native
of Clarksburg, where he long practiced
law and which he twice represented in
congress. He was born there April 10,
1873. His youth was unmarked with
those vicissitudes popularity supposed
to mark the early career of most
great men. OF prosperous fam
lily, his education proceeded to com
pletion without the interruption OF
having to work for living He gradu-
ated in law from Washington and Lee
University. Later his success gained
him in addition to this modest bache-
lor of laws the honorary degree of
doctor of laws from Washington and
Lee, University of West Virginia, Uni
versity of Birmingham, Eng, Uni
versity of Glasgow and Yale.
Davis married Julia T. Mcdonald in
1899, but his wife died In the follow
ing year. In 1912 he married Ellen G.
Basel.
In the trying war year of 1918 vii
son selected Davis to the most i'm
portant diplomatic post in the service
of the government, plenipotentiary to
Great Britain. Davis served at Lon
don until 1921 representing the United
States during difficult period mark
ed by victory in the war, the negoti.
alton of the Versailles Treaty, and the
refusal of the American Senate to rat
ify either the treaty or the covenant
of the League of Nations.
Davis returned to private practice in
this country to build up his modest
fortune, which had suffered by the
expenses imposed by his duties at the
London post. AS member of promi
nent New York legal firm he practiced
corporation law and numbered the
great banking house of Morgan among
his clients.
This year the same critics professet
to fear the label Morgan lawyer.
Friends Of Davis pointed out in rebut
tai that he was a brilliant lawyer. ar
able administrator great ambassa
dor, and personally bore an unimpeach
able reputation. They pointed out
that he was handsome, a fine public
speaker, with a most engaging person
ality, a good campaigner-in other
words almost the ideal candidate. But
the objection was still whispered
And when the appeal was made tc
him that he remove this one serious
bar to his candidacy, he replied:
you offer me a chance to be the
= Democratic nominee for the presi
: dency, which carries with II in this
year OF grace more than fair pros
pect Of becoming President of the
J United States. In exchange l am tc
abandon forthwith and Immediately q
J law practice which is both pleasant
and, with modest bounds, profitable;
to throw over honorable clients who
offer me honest employment; and de
sert a group of professional colleagues