Historians have generally failed to understand the significance of the election of 1924, the last time both major political parties each nominated a bona fide conservative candidate.<BR><BR>The High Tide of American Conservatism casts new light on both the election and the two candidates, John W. Davis and Calvin Coolidge. Both nominees articulately expounded a similar philosophy of limited government and maximum individual freedom; and both men were exemplary public servants. The enduring consequence of this election was the philosophical divergence of the two parties--Democrats leftward and Republicans rightward. As the proper role of government in a free society continues to be a topic of heated, partisan debate, every American--conservative or liberal--will benefit from an understanding of the 1924 election. Conservatives will recognize the link between Coolidge and Reagan and the modern Republican Party, and they will rejoice to discover a new conservative titan, John W. Davis.