The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-25
HILBERT SAYS COX
 l HAS HARD JOB IN
 | SH|F TING THE ISSUE
Claims Harding Conserva- tism Is New Kind Which Will Appeal Strongly
 to Voters
By CLINTON W. GILBERT

Columbus, Ohio, July 24.-( (SpecialD -Governor Cox is in Dayton, finishing his speech of acceptance. It is his turn next He will write with Senator Harding's speech of Thursday before him. In way his words will be reply to those of the republican candi- date.
 From Governor Cox's brief address before the democratic national com mitee here this week and from mem bers of the board of political strategy who surround the governor and who talk quite frankly. it is known that the governor desires to subordinate the League of Nations as an issue and to bring to the front the issue of prog ress against reaction.
 This was the issue that suggested Itself at once when the republican con yention finished it's work at Chicago It was supposed that the democrats would seize upon the opportunity pre- sented and that the campaign would go upon the familiar lines.
 But many things have happened since the republican convention which have taken the edge off this possible issue. The democratic convention was not notably less conservative than the Republican convention. The democratic nomination suggests nothing progres- sive or constructive in the national field. Other motives than the desire for progress dictated the selection o1 Goyernor Cox. Senator Harding has grown stronger as a candidate since his nomination. He has been accepted by the more liberal minded republicans beginning with MT. Hoover. And 1t IS believed in Marion that Thursdays s speech of acceptance makes the open support of him by Senators Johnson and Borah inevitable, for the candidate stands firmly with them in rejecting the League of Nations.
 GETTING THE FROGRESSIVES
 Open acceptance of him by Johnson and Borah is important in making Il difficult for Governor Cox to raise against him the charge of reaction Johnson and Borah lead the progres sive wing of the republican party. If the progressives held off notably from supporting the republican candidate Governor Cox might find it easy to raise the cry of reaction.
 But his task is grown steadily more difficult. And Senator Harding s speech of acceptance has done much to make his conservatism plausible and persuasive. Conversatism had been given bad name by Roosevelt and by all the republican leaders who headed progressive movements in thelr states It had been portrayed as a force serving certain selfish interests. It was popular to call it reaction. Il worked, so people were led to believe in alliance with the corporations that bought Legislatures that controlled par ties, and that had taken the govern ment away from the peoples,
 It has been the senator's task to present conservatism in another aspect And he has done so effectively in his speech of acceptance that Governor Cox has his hands full to call the thing his rival stands for reaction and te make the nation believe that it is re action.
 NEW KIND OF CONSERVATISM
 The conservatism which the repub lcan candidates present is primarily occupied with the institutions of th' country and not as the old conservatism was which fell into disrepute, witt property rights or with propert! privileges. It is a new conservatism we have drifted dangerously ava, from the form of government set up D. the framerS or the COnSllLullOu. ILel u get back to it." his is the constan text of the republican candidate. On man government has broken down, h. asserts, there is no man big enough t run this thing we call America alone The framers of the constitution wer wise enough to see this and they pro yided for . government of divided pow CTS. Let us return to it. Let us hay a President who will not attempt t rule Congress. Let us make the Senat what 1t ought to be, the greatest leg islative body in the world. Let us re store the cabinet to it's ancient posi- ton. Let us give the parties back tn authority they once had.
 Let us do all this, says MT. Hardins presenting the new conservatism so tha this country will never again run tn risk from which it just escaped of bein involved by one man in policy of Euro pean alliances entailfng unknown poil' ical adventures all over the world.
 And MT Harding is rescuing conserva ttsm from its former dsrepute all tn >asier because he is what he is--an aver age sort of American, living as the avel aEe sort of American does everywher except in the big cities in small towi unpretentiously occupying house ths did not cost more than $10,000 and SUI