Arizona republican., 1920-07-13
COX STATEMENT
 CONFESSION OF
 ERROR HARDING
Harding Talks Economic Problems with Leaders of Progressive Party in 1912, Who Pledge Support-To Finish His Speech of Ac- ceptance
IRepubHcan A. p. Leased Wirel


 MARION, O., July 12-Senator Hard ing today conferred with Republican and Progressive leaders and agricul- ture- experts with whom he discussed labor transportation. and social prob lems- He also replied to the announce ment of Governor Cox, the democratic nominee, that if elected q real dirt farmer" would be appointed secretary of agriculture.
 The senator said if the Republican policies of practical usefulness" un- der which the department was created, had been carried forward by the pres ent administration half our problems of high cost of living would have been solved in advance"
 Declares Conference Satisfactory
 The principal conference was with Raymond Robins of Chicago and W. F. Brown of Toledo. Ohio. prominent as progressives in the 1912 campaign, with whom he discussed labor and economic problems especially. Later Mir. Robins announced that the con- ference had been very satisfactory Matters involving the part the Pro gressiVes would take, he said, were also discussed.
 On the fundamentals surrounding the general economic situation, Mir. Robins said he and the senator were in "substantiaI agreement"
 MT. Robins said he had communi-
 
 learn their views on the Republican, ticket, but most of them wished to read the senator's speech of accept ance before committing themselves, al though some had already done so He announced, however, he would support the senator
 While this was understood to have been the first extended conference at which the senator had discussed the labor situation at length. it was un- derstood tonight other similar confer ences might be expected. Senator Harding is understood to be in close touch with labor leaders recognized as being of the more conservative stripe and he is expected to seek their views before discussing the labor problem in his speech.
 Senator Harding. when told Gov ernor Clement of Vermont had declined to call a special session of the legisla- ture to consider woman suffrage, re- fused comment except to say, T had hoped that he would"
 Cox Statement Acknowledgment
 Of Mistake
 In his statement on a secretary of agriculture. Senator Harding said he was gratified to know of the aclknowl- edgement "of at least one mistake of the Democratic administration"
 'I note," he added, Tthat the Demo cratic candidate announces, as one of the first reforms he has in mind, to appoint a real dirt farmer secretary Of agriculture. That is a reform the Republican party does not need to adopt. For sixteen years we had a real farmer from a real farm as secre- tary of agriculture-'UncleJ Jim Wilson of Iowa, who made the department the greatest of it's sort. He ran it for the farmers.
 When the Democrats came into power they brought a university presi- dent as secretary and after him a publisher. The Democratic party cer- tainly needs to be reformed in this re- gard. The Republican f&rty certainly does not.
 ''It is gratifying to see this early recognition of at least one mistake of the Democratic administration, and purpose to correct { by returing to Re publican methods. A lot of others will be found that can best be corrected in the same way; and when the coun- try comes to pass on the program, it will decide to apply the Republican method of correction directly-through a Republican administration"
 Another caller today was Senator Cummins of Iowa, chairman of the senate interstate commerce committee, who discussed the transportation situ- ation. In a statement, he praised the Republican candidate, whom he de- clared is "as progressive as any man in the country, bar none"
 To get to work on his speech, the senator planned to go into secIusion the next few days, beginning tomorrow.