The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-07
COX AS THE NOMINEE.

cox AS THE NOMINEE.
In eIecting James NJ. Cox, Of
Ohio, as nominee the democratic party
has placed another newspaper man
in high office, and has once more
demonstrated that the Fourth Estate
is good training ground for public
service.
The record of Governor Cox is one
that includes concrete achievements
He was reared on a farm and knew
what chores" meant at A a. m. and
8 D. m. HE began his hfework in
printshop, then he taught the coun-
try school. Later as a newspaper
reporter he covered assignments, ana
came at length to be a member OF the
editorial staff of the Cincinpati En-
quirer. When at last he purchased
the. Dayton Daily News and later the
Springfield Press Republic and form
ed the News League of Ohio, he had
already become a power in democratic
politics.
Always his papers have. reflected
the virile personality of Cox. Elect
ed a member of the sixty-first and
sixty second congresses, he proved a
live-wire congressman. His address
at the fiftieth anniversary of the
Battle of Gettysburg attracted wide
spread attention. His promotion to
the highest office in his state came
as a natural consequence of his gift
for leadership. During his admins
tration as governor there was more
permanent, remedial legislative work
put on the statute books than that
of any other state in the union.
In a recent article in the National
Magazine, Joe Mitchell Chapple says
| OF Cox:
'In his address before the Iroquois
Club in Chicago, Governor Cox hit
straight from the shoulder, and ar
IDENTIFY advocated "junking" most of
the institutions devoted to the war.
The hysteria in reference to bolshe-
vism did not alarm him as much as
the action of the senate in falling to
ratify the Peace Treaty. He advo-
Gated the repeating of the excess
profits tax, which he considered that
at least one-quarter of the four bill
lion dollars required to operate the
government could be obtained by a
tax of from one to one and a half
per cent on the volume of business
done by one concern This tax" he
insisted, fwould be neither cause nor
alibi for excess prices.
ognized that James Cox has the hap
py faculty of converting the incisive
phrases of newspaper paragraphs into
executive edict and legislative pro-
grams, batting his points over the
plate into statute law with the full
force and power of the Fourth Es-
tate. Altogether, Governor Cox is the
living example of an editor utilizing
newspaper genius in the realm of
public service, stimulating discussion
Of public questions lip to lip as one
of the essentials of democracy. In
his work he seems to bring his read
erS face to face with the problems
that concern them. He inaugurated
the plan of having the readers of his
papers meet in person at public gath.
erings, assembling first as citizens of
the republic, and developing a Co
hesive, almost fraternity spirit among
the readers that crystallized the ex-
preston of individuals into that all
powerful and subtle force that con-
trolls democracies, called public
opinion" Governor Cox has been a
real interpreter and leader of up. O."
in all the swift moving activities of
these stirring days.,
There can be little doubt in the
minds Of any person who has given
careful study to the political situa-
ton, but that the nominees of both
the republican and the democratic
parties were chosen rather because
they hailed from Ohio than because
they seemed more fitted to fill the
high office of president than their
contestants.
To hail from Ohio has become one
of the best recommendations for the
presidency. Ohio has long been a
doubtful state, but it was carried for
Mr.. Wilson in 1916.
With both nominees hailing from
the same state, for "honors are easy"
the constructive work of Governor
Cox should easily carry Ohio for the
democrats.