The Washington herald., 1920-09-30
Cox's faded SpeechesWorthless
As News, Tatfs Rebuttal to
Candidates Attack on Press
BY WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.

BY WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.
Copyright. 1920. by Public Ledger Col
Mr.. Cox is a journalist, and some-'
thing of an expert In the distribu-
tion of news. When, therefore, he
attacks the Associated Press for
falling to give to the American pub
lie a fair account of his speeches,
the crowds, and the other phases of
his long speaking tour, his testi-
mony would be weighty but for the
fact that he is a deeply interested
witness. When one is running for
the Presidency his judgment upon
matters connected with the cam
paign is not trustworthy. Men, SEN
sible and judicial under other cir
cumstances, will reach unsound
conclusions as Presidential candi-
dates.
Mr.. Cox's charges against the
Associated Press and his Indictment
of Mr.. Hays and the Republican
newspapers for "a conspiracy Of ST.
lence" are not important intrinsi-
caIly, but only as symptoms of the
political ill-health of Mr.. Cox. He
is evidently not satisfied with the
trend of public opinion as evidenced
by the press. His western trip has
not Influenced the country as he
hoped. This is due first to the nee
essary results of such a method of
Presidential campaigning, and sec
ond to the fact that the majority OF
the American electorate have made
up their minds to get rid of the
Democratic administration.
Press Refuses Repetitions.
Mr.. Cox has been most contemptu-
Gus of a front porch campaign. He
people in their homes. Exercising
this preference. he must be content
with its usual limitations. He seeks
by personal touch and address to
influence large masses of people.
He cannot at the same time keep
the whole American people inter-
ested in his progress and what he
says. His first meetings were de-
scribed in great detail and his
speeches were reported in full.
As he went on he repeated him
self; he must do so. He wishes to
sum up before every audience the
reasons for voting for him. Few
men can vary greatly from day to
day the substance, or even the form
and vocabulary of the arguments in
their own behalf. The first prin-
ciple of newspaper reporting re-
uuires a minimizing of the space
given to such repetitiOns. Unless
there is something epOchal in his
receptions, unless the demonstra-
tion is exceptional, the Associated
Press cannot be expected continu-
ously to describe the audiences or
their approval of what is said, be-
cause every Presidential candidate
can draw crowds of his friends and
invoke approval from them.
Asking too Much of Press.
The normal benefit with which
the candidate must be satisfied
from such a campaign Is the local
effect of his personality and the
influence of his words in the city
and State where he speaks. He
asks too much from an impartial
professional news gatherer when he
insists that the details of such
meetings lacking in special sig
nificance should be repeated on
every day of their occurrence. Still
more unreasonable is he in demand
ing that his opponents engage in
continued answers to his well-worn
attacks and charges. with the re-
suit of giving them further cur
rency.
But more than this is true in Mr..
Cox's case. He is riding a faded
horse He has a mount which has
reached the end of the trail. He
cannot win with the Wilson admin
istration and he cannot win with
out it. He presses the league of
nations on his audiences and is con-
fronted by the fact that Mr.. Wilson
deliberately rejected the only pos
sible league the United States can
enter.
value Of "Front Porch Method.
The advantages of the front porch
campaign on which Mr.. Harding in
sisted. are becoming apparent, as
they were in the Harrison and Nc
NlhltN Ca pal = rs anu III NllC 81 US
gle of 1916. 1t offers Mr.. Harding
the opportunity to give out some
thing new and short each day which
will secure publicity for its news
value. 1t enables him to prepare a
careful discussion of a particular is
sue, to have it published in full and
to deliver it to a great audience so
large and whose reception is so en-
thusiastic, as to call for legitimate
comment. In few trips and
speeches of this kind he can cover
all the ground necessary and say
exactly what he intends to say, and
in proper form. Mr.. Harding has
well improved these opportunities,
and the dignity. force, and absence
of demagOgic appeal and impossible
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