Seward Daily Gateway

Starting Gun of Demo. Campaign is Fired by J. W. Davis

CLARKSBURG, W. Va., Aug. 12.
—The starting gun in the presidential race was sounded here today with the meeting of democratic leaders for the formal notification tonight to John W. Davis of his selection as the standard bearer of the Democratic Party.

CLARKSBURG, W. Va., Aug. 12.
—In biting criticism John W. Davis dwelt on the differences between President Coolidge and leaders of his party in both houses of congress and continued on the question of foreign policy, Davis said that we favor the World Court in sincerity-not merely for campaign purposes or as an avenue of escape in the consideration of larger questions. We believe it to be to a real advantage toward a peaceful settlement of international disputes and we do not, and we can not accept the dictum authorized by any expression of popular will that the League of Nations is a closed incident. So far as we are concerned, we deny the right of any man to thus shut the gate of the future against us and to write the word NEVER across the face of our foreign policy and telling of having severed his connection with all law clients.

Davis added, "I have no clients today, but the Democratic party and if they will it, so are the people of the United States."

CLARKSBURG, W. Va., Aug. 12.
—Accompanied by the plaudits of the thousands of the party leaders that gathered from all parts of the country, Davis formally accepted the Democratic nomination for the presidency.
In his speech of acceptance which was delivered in the open at Golf Plaza there was a solemn pledge to do all in his power to lead the party to victory.
In his speech that followed the acceptance, Davis assailed the Republican party at the outset, saying, "I charge the Republican party with corruption in office and, I charge it also with favoritism in legislation, and I do further charge it with that grossest form of favoritism which gives to him who hath, and takes away from him who hath not. To pervert an officer to personal gain is an offense detested by all honest men but to use power of legislation purposely to enrich one man or set of men at the expense of others is robbery on a larger scale though done under the forms of law in the age of the Fordney-McCumber tariff act imposing the highest rates and duties in the tariff history of the nation.
There was an unblushing return to the evil days of rewarding party support and political contributions with legislative favors."