Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1920-07-08
The Democratic Nominee

1 Cox, of Ohio, as Democratic candidate
for President is exceedingly disappoint~
ing to the Republican party. All things con-
sidered, he is the most formidable opponent
Harding could have, and the most available
leader for the country's liberal rank and flle">
His hailing from Ohio and holding SO
strong vantage ground In the conlluo' g..
that great Commonwealth is in itself TACT
of nrime political importance. Always po-
tent factor in national campaigns the BUCK
eve State is especially so at TINS Juhcture.
Fourth among the States in populatlon anu
fourth also in electoral votes OF when II mas
twenty-four, it is certain to be one OF the ue-
cisive battlefields. A candidate could well
afford to lose six States like Arizona or YER
mont, if at the same time he could gain Onlo'
but losing that mighty fortress and one OF
two like it. he would be hard-pressed TO WIN
at ALL Significantly enough, the Republicans
have never won a national election Wltnout
Ohio: the Democrats swept it in 1917, and
If was a saving tower to them in 1916. Nat
uraly. then when the Chicago convention
turned to that critically important State Tor
its nominee, Democrats also looked thlther
.eaDcc1a4ly since they had in the Chief Magls-
trate of Ohio one of their party's ablest and
most achieving leaders. Competent opinion
has held from the outset that Governor COX
ll c"-rr his State against Senator Hard
ing and thus deal one of the master strokes
consideration was strongly in the Governors
favor from the beginning of the San Fran
cisco balloting, and figured potently, no
doubt, in his nomination.
Far more important, however, than mere
expediences of this nature are the command
ing character and record which the ONO
Governor presents--his sterling integrity, MS
CRASH of great affairs, his broad sympathies,
his dynamic quality as a doer of constructive
deeds, his democracy, his Amer1can1sm. Inc
life story of James NJ. Cox is one that does
lis country credit and wins the heart OF all
who admire the courageous, the faithful and
the seryceable in men. Bred on farm ana
cast early upon his own resources. he worked
and ofttimes struggled for the things which
come unsought to youths whose lines are
fallen in softer places. For his education,
for his start in life, for his advancement
along the first untried paths of business and
professional investment, he worked and
strove and won, with no other aids than
strong mind, stout heart, an answering
honesty, and the true friends which those
virtues grappled to him.
1t was upon the success and distinction
thus earned that he was nominated and elect
ed, as a Democrat to Congress from the
Third Ohio district in 1910, and reelected
two years later. His record in that capac-
ity made him the logical Democratic can
didate for the Ohio Governorship in 1912.
In epoch-marking campaign, which did
much to carry his State for Woodrow Wilson,
he overwhelmed the Republican machine, and
proceeded to carry out his pledges for bet
ter and more efficient administration of
Ohio's afafirs. So thoroughly did he succeed
that in the following election he was fought
with unprecedented bitterness by the reac-
tionary powers he had antagonized, and was
defeated. But in 1917 he came back
mastering not only the Democratic and In
dependent vote, but also that of a lconsid-
cradle Republican element that was weary of
its party's unprogressive and unconstructive
ways. Rarely has there been enacted within
single administration, whether State or Ma
tional, so great and fruitful a body of need
ed laws as were written upon statute books
under the leadership of this Democratic
GoVernor-laWs for the protection of onest
business against INSCRIPTIONS adventures,
for the development Of rural resources and
opportunities, for justice to workingmen for
the amelioration of prison conditions, and the
promotion OF the common veal
great reformer he has proved himself,
but always with sane and constructive ideals;
great liberal-a friend to the "plain peo-
ple," as Lincoln called them-but never q
trucker to ignorance or greed, never afraid
to stem tide which demagogues would bow
to- In choosing an American of such charac-
ter and capacity the Democrats have done
well for their party, and well for their
country.