New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-07-07
The Cox Nomination

The nomination of James Middle
ton Cox is due to the circumstance
that he was the "wettest" candidate
in sight; to the desire to get as
far away from wisconsin as pos
sible, and to the fact that the nomi-
nee is from Ohio.
Governor Cox, although the San
Francisco platform is silent on the
prohibition question and the con-
vention voted down the Cochran
plank to permit the making of
wines and beer for home purchases,
is known to be an open opponent Of
the Eighteenth Amendment. He was
strenuously opposed by William j.
Bryan and the Anti-Saloon League.
This gave Mr.. Cox the support of
large delegations, particularly from
the Eastern and Central states,
where the Democratic organization
has long been locally under the con-
troll of the saloon interest.
The Democratic party, disregard
ing the sentiment of the West and
counting the South as certain in any
event, is to make it's main struggle
in New York, Connecticut and New
Jersey and in Ohio, Indiana and H.
linois. The party returns to it's old
campaign strategy-to working for
a combination of Solid South and
Northern cities.
wisconsin is identified as a body
of death, and, as far as possible,
connections with it are cut. The rep
resentatives of the President were
dutifully allowed to write, in the
main, White House platform. The
delegates politely cheered the name
of Wilson, but the great majority of
them then tried to forget the horrors
of the last four years. At Washing
ton it was unconcealed that the Ad-
ministration preferred any one to
Mr. Cox.
The President unanswered for his
own selection. He showed himself
publicly and summoned a photogra-
pher whose pictures showed how
complete had been the Presidential
physical recovery. The Administra-
ton lieutenants at San Francisco
schemed to prolong the deadlock.
Mr.. McAdoo's own behavior toward
his candidacy no less than the atti-
tude of the President is most plausi-
bly, explicable on the theory that a
choice was to be prevented in the
hope of arousing a demand for the
President to sacrifice himself again.
If no demand came, then Mr.. Nc
Adoo was to be the heir. Such he was
during the late ballotings. The Adj
ministration emissaries, abandoning
hope of landing their chief, became
earnest for Son-in-Law. But it was
too late, and the double plan came
to naught.
Ohio is a state of strong local
pride and likes to add to the num-
Der of Ohio Presidents. Governor
'Cox, it was claimed, was strong at
home, and it was said that to reject
him meant concession of a pivotal
State to Senator Harding. The
argument that Ohio must be carried
was steadily hammered on and at
last secured converts. So the con-
.vention named a man it had little
thought of week ago. But the al
legged Cox strength in Ohio is large
~ myth. He has run behind his
ticket; in 1915 he had but 5000 plu-
rality, whereas Wilson had $4,000
and Pomerene $4,000.
The Cox nomination, following
the inclusion in the platform Of the
Walsh plank indorsing the reserva-
ton principle, makes impossible a
concerning the Wilson
eague. No one appears to uphold
he affirmative. Twenty-three Dem
'cratic Senators voted for the