The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-07-07
POLITICIANS
PUT GOV. COX
0VER-.BLyTHE
Sees Fine Italian Hand of
Murphy, Brennan and Mar
sha in Result-Started to
Beat McAdoo.
WANTED A Mild WET
BY SAMUEL 6. BLYTHE
Copyright, 1920, by Samuel G. BY the
AssOciationl

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, July T.
Three men and two political factors
brought about the nomination of
ames NJ Cox for president. The
three men were George E. Brennan
the Democratic leader of Illinois;
Charles F. Murphy, the chief Of Tam
many Hall. New York. and Wilbur
Marshal, the Democratic national
committeeman of Iowa.
The two political factors were the
record Cox has for carrying Ohio
three times for governor and the fact
that he is considered liberal enough
in his wet views to satisfy the home
necessity of Murphy and Brennan and
the wet necessity of other Democrat
leaders, coupled with the conviction
on the part Of these leaders that the
only cha nee the Democratic party had
to win this year is the chance offered
by a moderate endorsement Of the
liberalization of the Volstead act
through the medium of a candidate
known to think that way regardless
Of platform pronouncement.
Late in April there was a meeting
at French Lick Springs, Indiana, at
the hotel Of Thomas Taggart. The
two most important men who were
there were Brennan and Murphy. 1t
was agreed at this conference that
the Democrats, in the political opin-
ion Of these veterans, must take a
stand on the wet and dry question in
order to have an issue that would be
of winning consequence in the com
ing campaign. Also, it was decided
that the success of the local Demo
cratic tickets in Chicago and New
York was contingent on such a stand
Names we're canvassed and Cox was
held to be available.
There was no resolution or support
of Cox because Brennan personally
and his delegation, up to the full limit
Of his control, was for Palmer for
good political reasons, and Murphy
had picked Governor Smith of New
York as a favorite son candidate tC
tie to until he saw how things were
going at San Francisco. 1t meant
that Cox was held to be available.
Cox Comes Out In Open
Meantime Cox had become an open
candidate and then came the Chicago
convention where Harding was nom
mated, and that increa sed the avail
ability Of Cox tremendously because
Ohio is a debatable state. 1t went fol-
Wilson in 1915 and Cox had carried
1t three times for governor out of four
Cox had some delegates wher
| things began to warm up in Sa n Fran
cisco-h1s own state, Kentucky and
others scattered about; also he hac
strong second choice support in many
states, including Iowa.
| He was one of the three principa,
contenders, without SO much apparent
support as McAdoo and Palmer, but
/ far ahead of any other. Then Nc
Adoo made his feint by pretending tc
withdraw. but prudently pausing tc
say that his withdrawal included g
decision not to accept if nominated
He had that string tied to his with
drawal always. Then ensued a game
Of political thimble rigging. McAdoc
went into seclusion on Long Island
but the office holders who had beer
herded into line for him by Dan Ro
per, chief of the internal revenue bu
reau during McAdoo's stay In the
drawal and began an active campaign
| here to nominate him.
! Much Material For EN-
They had much material to worl
with. Delegates who had been Sc
Adoo's friends who had been Workins
for him under the direction of Roper
Baruch. John Shelton Williams ant
others found themselves with no
where to go and they were easy to in
duce to stay where they were will
McAdoo
In the convention, Brennan, Murphy
Marsha, and some others took stock
and formed the anu-McAdoo combtna
tton that had for its great incentive the
defeat Of McAdoo. This combination
! had 463 votes. 1t held all through the
convention.
Combined For No One.
It was not a Cox combination pri
marily. nor Q Palmer combination. L
| had for its constitution, bylaws, anC
rules of procedure, the defeat Of Nc
Adoo. After that, 1t was the subject O.
circumstances.
The convention tested out McAdoc
and Palmer and Cox. None could ge
the required 234 at six o'clock after
noon the nomination seemed fair
When at the night session Paine,
withdrew, he complicated the situation
instead of simplifying it.
I Just before one o'clock the Coz
leaders, despatring of nomination Co,
at that session were figuring on an ad
journment. Their man had gone up t
more than 500 votes and they did no
want to take chance of seeing tha
total diminish. They expected t
nominate Cox, but not then. However
the delegates tired Of milling around
eager to get a solution, turned to Co,
with whoop and put him over.