존 데이비스와 1924년 미국 대통령 선거 = John W. Davis and the1924 Presidential Election

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

John W. Davis was the presidential candidate of the Democratic Party in the 1924 presidential election in the United Sates. Although Davis was the presidential candidate of the major party, most historical works on the internal division of the party to explain the key cause of the Democratic defeat of the 1924 election. According to David Burner, for example, one of leading scholars on the topic, the future of the Democratic Party in the 1924 presidential election was already decided during the party convention for nomination, which was held in New York in June 1924. Two powerful factions led by William MacAdoo and Al Smith tore the party convention up to the 100th Ballot, in fact, which was the longest party convention in American history. When Davis was nominated as the Democratic candidate on the 103th Ballot, the party was so deeply damaged that no one seemed to have a chance to win the national election. As a Democratic candidate, however, what did Davis do in the election? Did he campaign effectively? Above all, how did he get the nomination among many contenders? Was there any other way to mend the wounded party? Before he was nominated as presidential candidate of the Democratic Party, Davis, born and grown up in West Virginia, had served as U.S. Ambassador to London, a member of U.S. House of Representatives and West Virginia House of Delegates as well as U.S. Solicitor General. Against two leading contenders, MacAdoo and Smith, during the convention, Davis tried hard not to reveal his real political color to any faction. Under the circumstances that MacAdoo and Smith could not compromise or yield to each other, Davis predicted, the party would need to find a third candidate. He was proved correct and became the Democratic nominee for presidency. After being nominated, Davis campaigned extensively in the mid-West and South, while giving up the northeastern states. He tried hard to appeal the hearts of the democratic supporters who had once supported Woodrow Wilson years before without success. Although he worked to get supports from MacAdoo and Smith, he did not succeed in getting sincere supports form either one. In addition, he was not an effective campaigner. His voice was weak and his speeches were boring. Davis made campaign speeches as if he was arguing in the court room. The result of the election was not surprising. Davis got only 28.8 percent of the popular vote (Coolidge got 54 percent and Robert La Follette got 16.6 percent). He lost even in his home state, West Virginia. It might be true that he could have not won the election because of internal division of the Democratic Party. He could still have narrowed the gap between himself and Coolidge at least if he had been able to show his progressive views on the current issues more positively. Campaigning as a conservative democratic candidate, he lost the conservative votes to Coolidge and the progressive votes to La Follette. In sum, the democratic defeat of 1924 was a co-product of internal division of the Democratic Party and personal inability of Davis as the Democratic candidate.