The Fort Peck press., 1936-04-02
Political Life
Of Frank Knox
Active Party Worker and
Campaigner Since
Spanish War.

newspaper editor, soldier and party
worker, Frank Knox, candidate of the
Illinois Republicans for the nomina
ton for president, has been one of the
most widely travelled public men In
the country. Not only has be been In
every state in the Union, some of then
many times, but his interviews with
the heads of governments In Europe
last veal resulted In a series of edi,
torials in his newspapers on the trends
of governments at home and abroad
which attracted both national and
worldwide attention.
He has been a sectional or national
paign for a quarter of a century and
in the past two years, in an effort tc
rouse Americans generally to the dan
gers he felt were fundamental in the
new deal" policies, Knox has made
speeches In more than half the states
of the Union. AS a result of this task
undertaken, for the most part, in an
swer to specific invitations for his
services, he finds himself today pro
jected into the political limelight In
an honorable, although personally I'M
sought, ann
Starting as a precinct party worker
In Michigan in 1898, Frank Knox
helped nominate and elect Chase Os-
born as governor Of that state and
was state chairman of the state COM
mittee in 1910. That fight was made
by progressive and liberal Republi-
cans, with Osborn and Knox in the
lead, against mOnopolies that were
dominating the state. In 1912, feeling
that President Taft had lost his popu-
larity in the state, Knox declined to
become Tafts state manager and
frankly told Mr.. Taft he favored The
odore Roosevelt. He directed the
Roosevelt -pre-convention headquarters
at Chicago and in that capacity came
into intimate contact with party lead
'ers from Ohio to the Pacific coast.
When Theodore Roosevelt became
the candidate Of the Progressive Party
for president, Knox followed him, but
at the same time got from Mr.. RoOse
welt a promise that the Progressive
Republican state officers of Michigan
should be renominated and only 6
Progressive electoral ticket placed In
the field by the new party in that
state. AS chairman of the state con-
mittee Knox called the state conven.
ton to order and was elected its chair
man. T%hereupon Senator Joseph NJ.
Dixon of Montana, national chairman
of the Roosevelt campaign, to the utter
establishment of Knox, made a speech
demanding the nomination of an en-
tire Progressive Party ticket from
Governor, down to constable. This was
wholly contrary to Knox's understand
ing with Roosevelt, but in a hasty
conversation, Dixon insisted he was
carrying out orders from Roosevelt
given him in Oyster Bay only a few
days before.
With characteristic honesty, Knox
promptly advanced to the rostrum and
resigned both as chairman of the con
vention and as chairman of the state
committee. He was followed to his
IOOlu ny party ltducIS WIN DCSSCt llllII
to accept the nomination for Cover
nor, But he refused. A year and q
half later, when Theodore Roosevelt
heard the facts he admitted he gave
Dixon the orders but added: Frank
1 forgot to except Michigan" Wher
Roosevelt died a letter was en- route
to him from Knox in France thanking
him for his generous praise of KnoX's
record in the World War.
In 1916 Knox campaigned In New
E. Hughes for president. He had, In
the meantime, acquired a newspaper
at Manchester, N. H., which he still
owns. He did a like party service fo3
Harding and for Coolidge, besides as
sisting in the nomination and election
of numerous governors, senator's, mem
bers of Congress, state and local Of
icers. In 1912 President Taft made
Knox a member of the Board Of In
dian Commissioners.
AS general manager of the Hearst
chain of papers in 1923, Knox did no
participate III Tie party polltlCS vi TIA /
year but his business interests too
him into every section of the country
1t is noteworthy that Mr.. Hearst that
year brought his newspapers to the
support of the Republican ticket.
In 1881 Frank Knox, In partnership
with Theodore T. Ellis Of Worcester
Mass, bought The Chicago Dali,
News. When the panic of 1892 begal
Knox was national chairman of tn"
drive against the boarding Of gold
and, as such, visited many sections OF
the country. He was strongly urged
to accept the craftsmanship of the Re
publican National Committee AMI 50
.peremptory was the demand that,
when in Europe in 1894, he had to de-
the honor categOrically. The
year he assisted both the Re
publican Senatorial and Congressional
committees IN an advisory capacity
and spoke FOR Republican candidates
in Maine. Wisconsin, Pennsylvania.
Ohio, Michigan and Illinois.
In this way Frank Knox has not
only a wider personal acquaintance