The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-03
COX SMILES WHILE
ADMITTING DEFEAT
Don't Worry About Me- He
Says, we Made a Game
Fight

Special Despatch to THE NEW YORK HERALD.
DAYTON, Nov. 2.-Gov. Cox sat smok-
ing a cigar in a large room marked
Publishers Office on the second floor
Of the Dayton Netos Building tonight.
Through one Of the long plate glass
windows which run along two sides OF
the room he could see across the street
to large white screen upon which were
being flashed from his own editorial
office the election returns that told Of
the tremendous Republican landslide.
In the street were 5000 men. women
and children. cheering at intervals.
Occasionally the managing editor OF
the newspaper came into the room with
press reports from various States. He
placed them in front of the Democratic
leader and then went back to his work.
Now and then the telephone rang with
calls from New York city Democratic
headquarters. trying to keep him in
formed Of the latest developments or
inject little cheer into the situation.
Don't worry about me-" Gov. Cox
would say. 1--WE made a game fight"
So 1t went through the evening and
late into the night. Gov. Cox accepted
the situation coolly, smilingly. In fact.
He is a seasoned politician and knows
It's fortunes and misfortunes.
With Gov. Cox receiving the returns
were Mrs. Cox Mrs. Daniel Mahoney.
his daughter Mr.. Mahoney. fifteen
newspaper men. who have been with
the nominee during the campaign, and a
small group of friends. Mrs. Cox had
a seat near the window and followed
the returns more closely than the Gov
ernor. She took the defeat good natur-
eddy and smiled and chatted.
noy "a
a personal friend, dropped into the Of
flee with the reassuring comment that
the West might still pile up enough
electoral votes to pull him through.
But Mr.. Cox simply smiled.
The Governor made no statement for
publication. He told the newspaper men
there might be one later. but not to-
night. He wanted to get a complete
size-up of the vote before saying any
thing.
1t was a crowd of mixed loyalty in the
street below. There were apparently
Republicans and Democrats alike. for
almost every bulletin flashed on the
screen was greeted with cheers. There
would be mighty shout when report
arrived showing Harding gains. then n
minute later, when one came which was
favorable TO Cox, there would be another
out OF the returns from the South.
The hardest blow was the loss OF Ohio.
Gov. Cox and his friends were perticu-
lerly anxious TO capture the Buckeye
State, with the view that IL would put
him in u good way for the nomination
four years hence. Gov. Cox followed
this vote closely. Having made four
State campaigns he knew precisely what
every county ought to show, but he got
little to console him from the figures.
which indicated the State would go for
Senator Harding by 100000.
Gov. Cox grinned when word came
that he had lost his own precinct, that
IN which he and Mrs Cox cast their
ballots, by Il votes. He took satisfac-
ton, though, in the likelihood that he
had carried Montgomery county by
about 1900. The figures, however. were
incomplete. twenty-four of the 260 pre-
cincts giving him 3,s3s to 3,5i9 for SEN
ator Harding. Democratic politicians
had expected to carry the county by
5000, but the fight was one Of intense
bitterness.
Gov Cox received many kilograms
shortly before the returns started 10
come in, messages from close friends
and from men in public life commend
ing him on the fight he had made and
saying he deserved to win.
The Daily Neics, owned by Gov. Cox,
at 10 :15 O'Clock went to press with an
extra edition conceding the election Of
Senator Harding. Announcement that
the extra would be issued was made at
the Governors Office. Soon afterward
word came from New York that Chair
man White also had conceded Senator
Harding's election. At that time the
Governor was In his Office at his news
M mar f1laDt