The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-30
SATURDAY. OCTOBER 80. 1920.
The Composite Portrait of Can
didate for President.

didate for President.
Whether Governor Cox gets 266
electoral votes next Tuesday or passes
out of the immediate interest of his
fellow citizens with only 126, he will
have succeeded In doing something
which we believe no other candidate
for President has ever done 80 COM
pletely in so short a time. In less
+ than four months the tireless larynx
of this energetic politician, previously
almost unknown to ninety-nine per
cent. Of Americans beyond a radius
of one hundred and fifty miles or so
from Columbus, Ohio, has projected
upon and into the public understand
ing such a picture Of his moral and
intellectual personality as many years
Of intimate acquaintance often fail
to produce.
The achievement, we believe, IL
without parallel in our political his
tory. The portrait is Il masterpiece
of Industrious art. 1t is a composite
of superimposed aspects of character
and mind. laid and oyerlaid with I'M
daunted self-revelation. 1t is Cover
nor Cox's most valuable contribution
to the documents of this Presidential
campaign. Nobody else could have
done it for him.
Consider, for example, the psyche
logic significance of this final touch,
accomplished by the candidate-artist
at Middletovf, Ohio, as recently as
Wednesday last. Governor Cox was
being questioned by a voter about his
conception of the moral force Of the
obligation to obey the call of Article
X He lodged for little while and
then. under the pressure of a demand
for yes or no answer, replied with
an affectation of solemnity You ask
If we are morally bound. If 1t Is a
grave matter. we are going to accept
a message from Cob Almighty" And,
with the next breath came this next
sentence I'VE are making Il bet on
the morality Of the icOrld." The abb
solute unconsciousness of any lapse
from reverence or dignity, the light
ming change from the exalted and
mystical phraseology of WOODROW
WILSON TO the accustomed lingo or
Tom TAGGART and Tammany, illumine
like sudden beam from searchlight
the true inwardness Of the mind
capable of the quick transition. A
message from Con Almighty accepted
as n tip and played for gamble
Who but Governor Cox?
Another layer Of the composite Is
supplied by Governor Cox's reckless
readiness to malign and mlsrepresent
and bring baseless accusations when
over political advantage has seemed
TO him likely 10 accrue. A memorable
ease In point was his Pittsburg charge
concerning SIS 100000 or So, 200, 600
corruption fund In Republican hands
for the purchase of the Presidency.
For weeks he made this the main Is
sue Of the canvass. When IL was not
only dlscredited but rendered ridicu-
lous In the clear light Of proven facts
he still persisted in the unfounded
accusation, promising TO make his
not redeemed and Of course will not
redeem. There has never been such
singer Of mud in the person Of n can
didate for President. One dishonest
and dishonorable conspiracy against
him has been alleged by himself and
kept noisily audible until some equally
Infamous and equally non-existent
plot occurred 10 his irresponsible Inn
agination. Courtesy, tolerance, dig.
nifty, self-rcstraint have been words
unknown to him since he took the
stump His whole frantic demeanor
IN this respect would be grotesque in
the extreme II It did not denote a
temperament and lack OF scrupes
sinister in view Of the office and power
to witch he aspired.
For another and typical lllustra-
ton CT the inveracity Of his mental
ami rgoral processes we invite alton
so.s r. bis b'd for the so-called Irish
rore pv promising, If elected. to help
the cause of Irish Independence by
bringing II before the League of Ma
lions. This is sheer impudence on
the part Of Mr.. Cox. The hollowness
Of that cheap expedient for the win.
I ming of momentary support ought TO
n shock the sensibllltles OF the most IN.
scrupulous demagogue. For Governor
Cox knows as we'll rs anybody else
not only that single British vote
would exclude any proposal looking
20 irish Independence but also that
$3.50 20 fho raeo NJ Ireland rhoufd