The Washington times., 1920-06-27
Cox a Hard Fighter,
Good Mixer and An
Auoued Politician

The candidacy OF Governor Cox had
been gathering strength for several
months. few days sgo. In address,
ing political meeting In Ohio, and
In characteristics fashion, Governor
Cox was hammering the opposition,
when "A man In the audience sang out:
That's right. Give 'em hell. jimmy"
Abruptly the governor paused. and
declaring, THAT mans a friend Of
mine" proceeded TO give 'em" what
was ordered.
The incident. his friends say. shows
that Governor Cox, In spite OF his in
nate dignity and reserve, which can
be formidable when the occasion de-
mands. is a good mixer" In his
candidacy, much emphasis is laid on
the fact that either before or since
the civil war, only one other man,
Rutherford y. Hayes, has been thrice
elected governor of Ohio.
In fact, we read. Governor Cox Is an
avowed politician and Is by no means
ashamed of,the appellatiOn. He knows
all the cards and most or the tricks
In the political game. When his enc
mics are looking around for some
thing with which to defiect votes
from the Democratic standard-bearer.
they usually conclude with, hes a
politician"
STARTED As REPORTER.
Governor Cox was first brought to
public notice when he was a report
or on the Cincinnati Inquirer. As
such he attracted the notice of Con-
FRESHMAN SOrg. who in addition to
being a member of Congress. was a
wealthy tobacco manufacturer. Sorg
sought out Cox and took him TO
"a hig
In this position. Cox turned 10 politics.
which, In addition to the newspaper
business. has been his principal call
ing.
In 1908, Cox with the financial as
sistance OF Congressman Sorg. became
proprietor OF the Dayton (Ohio) News,
and IT was decided that he would look
good in Congress. A Republican
named Harding was in Congress at
the time, and the bosses OF his own
party in the Third (Dayton) district,
opposed him. Cox was persuaded to
run and was elected to the Sixty-first
and returned to the Sixty-second Con-
gress.
who's the boy" asked "Uncle Joe
Cannon, then Speaker, on the occasion
when Cox, smooth-faced and youthful
looking, sought recognition on the
floor OF the House. The hoy" launch
ed into a speech on the Payne tariff
bill with such vigor that when he
sat down, Uncle Joe" remarked Ia
conically, "the youngster Will do.
HAS FIGHTING ABILITY.
The taunt, that he's a politician"
has not impaired the suavity OF Gov
crnor Cox. neither his reputation for
treating his associates and subordi-
mates iustly and kindly Yet on the
warpath. we arc told, he is apt to
hit right and left with little regard
as to where the blows fall. When
backed into a corner, as most adroit
politicians sometimes are, and a show
down is in order. the Ohio governor
has manifested his fighting ability
beyond the ordinary.
Having served two terms in Con-
gress, SoN was elected governor of
Ohio and at once began lighting for
constructive and progressive legisla-
ton. He demanded that the legisla-
ture pass ffty-siN progressive meas
ures covering wide range of legis-
lation.
One highly revolutionary measure
was the establishment of workmen's S
compensation, equa. pay for men and
women. alike. 1t was bitterly Op-
posed by many large business inter-
ests and particularly by liability in
surance companies. But, backed by
the governor. il went through and
since has become a model of legisla-
ton in other states.
Incidentally. it made Governor Cox
solid with labor. Another. law, re-
making the taxing system and doing
away with the old elective assessors.