The Washington herald., 1910-08-07
COX GOES DOWN IN DEFEAT
Ohio Political Boss for the First Time Deserted His Can
didate.

/ Out In Ohio the politicians tell OF the
! days when Boss Cox dictated the nomi-
nation Of a Republican candidate for the
/ presidency. They tell of other times
when he prevented other nominations
for the same high Office. They refer
with a certain sad pride TO still other
occasions when candidates and principles
were submitted 20 the inarticulate man
from Cincinnati for approval before they
were offered TO the conventions for in
dorsement. And this week he WASH
even able TO nominate his man for gov
| ernor. He broke his rule OF voiceless-
ness for the first time in his career.
He capitalized the reputation ne had
built up through the years as a man
whose promise and prophecy might alike
be depended on-and that corporation OF
faith went in 20 the hands Of a receiver
and no assets visible. And so the last Of
the old run OF bosses petered out like
the last run Of shad. says the New York
Globe.
He used to rank with the big fellows
with Quay. OF Pennsylvania. and Plat. Of
New YORK. and Butler. OF ST. Louis
with those bosses Of a bygone era who
ruled absolutely. unhampered by the need
Of difference To a public opinion that was
then practically nonexistent. The or
ganization, by hook or crook, controlled
the situation, and the boss, by hook or
crook, controlled the organization One
used 10 see them in their hotel suites at
the national conventions, or sitting 81
lent at the head Of their delegations on
the fioor-strong. silent. iron-jawed, mas
terful men. They laughed at the ideal
fists who fought their practical means
by theories They had built up machines
that could be operated only by machin-
lists. Reformers were targets for their
laughter or their hate. But those old
chaps have gone-every man OF them
and Cox is on his way.
Not that he is an unpleasant man to
meet, this George Barnesdale Cox, ex-
saloon-keeper. ex-fghter. present banker
and theatrical hacker. When he was in
hts prime he stood six feet in height, and
the strength his wide shoulders promised
was carried out by his whole rugged
architecture. He first became a force in
politics because he could leap fat-footed
over his saloon counter and land on the
jaw of a man on the other side on his
way down. That ability gave him con-
troll OF his precinct. He fought his way
to the leadership Of his ward-and that
was in the old days in Cincinnati when
biting and gouging were esteemed a part
Of each politicians equipment But on
that foundation of brutality he built en-
edifice that endured as no other boss
ruled organization has-under a single
boss.
He never ran for Office but once-and
then he was beaten by the length Of the
Ohio River But he has ruled Cincinnati
and the politics OF Southern Ohio abso-
lutely. He eliminated graft, so far as
the privates in his force were conceraed.
No policeman swiped an apple from
street stand. and no petty clerk was ever
anything but courteous to an inquiring
citizen at courthouse or city hall The
member Of the Cox organization who be-
came a defaulter in public Office was
mercilessiy prosecuted by Cox. High
rank in that body was rewarded IN other
ways than by the opportunity for theft.
Rudolph Hynicka, one or his two lieu
tenants-Garry Hermann, now grand
exalted ruler Of the EnSs. is the other
cheerfully testified in court that the graft
collections were some 100000 8 year.