Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-08-22
COX SAYS THAT HARDING
HAS BEEN JZVPROGRESSZVE
Refers to Constitutional Amendments Adopt
ed in 1912, and Intimates Senator
Fostered Opposition to Them.
Special Dispatc to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
COLUMBUS. Ohio, August 21.-At-
lacking his republican opponent as
unproyressive. If not reactionary, in
his first formal speech of the cam
paign, before the democratic state
convention last Tuesday, Gov. Cox
evidently felt that he was making a
charge against Senator Harding from
which he could not escape. and choos-
in this state on which he had already
once defeated the senator.
In 1912, when delegates were being
selected to a state constitutional con-
vention, James NJ. Cox, then a can
didate for the governorship essayed
the defense of the progressive ele-
ment of the state and actively sup
ported progressive candidates. They
were chosen irrespective of parties.
And after the convention had recon-
mended thirty-six amendments, most
of them decidedly progressive. rang
ing from the initiative and referen-
dunn down to workmen's compensa-
ton insurance, the governor took the
stump in campaign to secure their
adoption.
The opponents of the more radical
of these amendments, finding them
selves without an organ for their
use. established the Ohio Star, a
weekly publication, which was con-
Gnued through that campaign, and
was published from the Office of Sen
ator Harding's newspaper at Marion
tho Marion Star. Who the owner of
tho enterprise was was not known,
but the name and place of publica-
ton naturally led to the supposition
that Senator Harding had at least
m interest in It
In his state convention speech Gov.
Cox insisted that 1t was the senator's
own publication, and that the senator
was its editor. In its next issue after
the adoption Of practically all the
by vote Of the people, the Ohio Star
printed an editorial in which 1t de-
clared that the radical amendm tents
adopted meant the beginning of the
establishment of a socialistic gov
eminent in Ohio and that the revolu-
Every amendment then adopted"
. declared Gov. Cox. els still a part
of our state constitution. and. so far
as I know. they are now universally
approved Every opponent of the
progressive provisions then adopted,
including Senior Harding. has come
over to their support 1 was a pro-
gressive then, and am a progressive
still"
Ohio Progressive In 1912.
The significant thing about it is that
most of these so-called radically pro-
gressive amendments were adopted
by tremendously large pluralities-
sand. Ohio of 1912 was by this record
shown to be decidedly progressive.
Nothing that has happened since has
indicated that the people of the state
have changed their minds as to that.
So that If Gov. Cox succeeds in pre-
h0r haf h0
pie of Ohio in this campaign in the
light of reactionary. as he evidently
intends to do, he will have a battle
ground of his own choosing, and con-
ditions decidedly favorable to him.
self in this pivotal stata
Gov. Cox's political friends are in
clined to make merry over the fact
that the republicans of Ohio in their
primary election selected a decided
ly wet candidate for governor and q
decidedly dry candidate for United
States senator-Mayor H. L. Davis
Gov. F. B. Willis, by record. an un-
compromising dry. Their point is this:
1t makes it impossible for the repub-
licans to make the liquor question
an issue in the state campaign-and
the liquor question is admittedly one
of the weak points of Gov. Cox. 1t
might become very embarrassing for
Gov. Cox il this matter should be
brought prominently to the front in
the state campaign, and these nomlna-
tions by the opposition make it Ger
tain, the Cox men believe, that the
republicans will avoid the issue as
carefully as the democrats will.
Though Gov. Cox has been openly
active in trying to induce democratic
legislatures to complete the ratihca-
ment, many Ohio democrats fear that
it will not be we'll for his candidacy
If universal suffrage is thus extended
in time to enable women generally
to vote at the coming national cleo
tion. Evidently Gov. Cox does not m
tend to say anything about the pro-
hibition of intoxicating liquors in his
campaign, and without positive
declaration from him to the contrary
the prevailing opinion. based on ms
statement some months ago, favorable
to a change in the Volstead act, sc
as to permit the manufacture of light
wines and beer, that he would advise
that action if made President, Will
certainly continue and the great ma
iority of women being against IN
temperance, will cast their votes
against him Assistance from him II
securing the thirty-sixth state fol
ratification is not likely to constr
tute a reason for the support OF le'
male voters. excepting only the raol'
cal advocates of suffrage. The gov.
ernor will have. Of course, the iac,
to point to that the final ratify1ne
vote was cast by a democratic legis'
lature, and that he was particularly
urgent upon it that ratification %
made.
CITY Board to Run Campaign.
As indicated last week the demo-
Gratis again have selected w. w. Dur
bin. of kenton, state campaign man
ager His secretary will be 5. v
(;oCden, formerly a Washington news
PAPER man who was called mere d
Year ago to be publicity agent for the
Democratic state central committee
with these officers, eight men con
stitute the state campaign commit,
tee-unusually small and composed
almost entirely of the local bosses o.
the party. For instance, there Is IoH
Noctor, democratic boss of Cincin'
natl; John A. ODwyer. democratic
boss of Toledo; Burr CongWer, demo
cratic boss Of Cleveland; James ROSS
democratic boss of Columbus: d. 5
WITT of Ironton. the latter two rural
party leaders but always working IN
harmony with the city bosses. 1t Is
rare that the party has placed a cam.
paign so exclusively in the hands oil
the big city bosses. But they are are
all adept politicians and know the
game as it is played in this state
thoroughly. The danger is that rural
democracy may not take kindly to
the proposition of following such
leadership.
The plan of the democrats to make
special appeal this year for the
support of the rural and labor votes
is shown by the fact that the homo
rary positions of electors at large
were given, one to a leading farmer
of the state and the other to an of
ficer of the Cleveland federation Of
labor. men who were not generally
known as democrats at all. The for
mer is o. e. Bradfute of Cedarville