The Fort Peck press., 1936-01-30
"a a..
Political Life
Of Frank Knox
Active Party Worker and
Campaigner Since
Spanish War.

Wofhef, Frank Knox, candidate of N
Illinois Republicans for the nou,yn,
tion FOR president, has been one of Il,
most widely travelled public men :
UAe country. Not only has be been I
every state Ia the Union, ONT of ther
many times. but his interviews viii
the heads OF governments IN Euror,
iast year resulted In d series of ed,
torlais IN his newspapers on the trend
OF governments at home and abroe,
winch attracted both national ant
worldwide attention.
re h9G been 81 sectional or nationa
h;s'ire In every national political am
:phiSh for q quarter OF g. century ant
In the past two years, In an effort tc
rouse Americans generally 10 the dam.
gers he felt were fundamental In the
new deal" policies, Knox haa made
speeches in more than half the States
OF the Union. AS q result Of this tasl,
undertaken, for the most part, In an
swer to specific invitations Tor his
services, he finds himself today uro-
;5acted into the political limelight in
an honorable, although personally up-
sought, manner
Starting az 81 precinct party worker
In Michigan In 1893, Frank Knox
helped nominate and elect Chase Os-
born as governor Of that state and
was state chairman OF the state CON-
mittee In 1910. That fight vas made
by progressive and liberal Repnbll-
cans, with Osborn and Knox IN the
lead. against mon0polies that were
dominating the state, In 1912, feeling
that President Taft had lost his popu-
iaiTty In the state, Knox declined 20
become Tafts state manager and
frankly told Mr.. Taft he favored The.
odore Roosevelt, lie 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 |
She candidate Of the Progressive Party !
Tor president, Knox followed him, but
at the same time got from Mr.. Roose-
welt Il promise that the Progressive
state officers of Michigan
should be renominated and only q
Progressive electoral ticket placed in
the field by the new party In that
state. As chairman OF the state COM
Knox called the state Gonven-
ton TO order and was elected It's chair
man. Thereupon Senator Joseph NJ.
Dixon OF Montana, national chairman
Of the Roosevelt campaign, to the utter
establishment Of Knox, made q speech
the nomination OF an en-.
ire Progressive Party ticket From
Governor down 10 constable. This was
contrary to Knox's understand.
ng with Roosevelt, but Ia q hasty
conversation, Dixon insisted he was
out orders from Roosevelt
him IN Oyster Bay only a few
before.
With characteristic honesty, Knox
advanced TO the rostrum and
eslgned both as chairman Of the con.
'ention and as chairman OF the state
Committee. He was followed 70 his
oom by party leaders who begged him
0 accept the nomination for Cover
but he refused. A year and q
a,f later, when Theodore Roosevelt
card the facts he admitted he gaye
the orders but added: Frank
forgot to except Michigan When
Roosevelt died G. letter was en- route
him from Knox In France thankin2
for his generous praise Of Kn0x's
acord in the World War.
IN 1915 Knox Campaigned in New
for the election Of Charles
. Hughes for president. He had, in
he meantime, acquired Il newspaper
Manchester, ". H., which he still
Tns. He did a like party service FOR ,
arding and for Coolidge. besides as
sting In the nomination and election.
numerous governors, senators, mem.
RS OF Congress, state and local Of ,
,ers. In 1912 President Taft made ,
n03 Il member Of the Board Of In {
an Commissioners. ,
As general manager OF the Hearst r
ain OF papers In 1923, Knox did no; t
rticipate in the party politics Of that {
ar but his business interests took
Into every section of the country. d
Is noteworthy that Mr.. Hearst that y
ar brought his newspapers to the f
pport OF the Republican ticket. =
In 1854 Frank Knox, In partnership Z
tn Theodore T. Ellis Of Worcester.
'ss, bought The Chicago Daily .
When the panic Of 1899 began A
OK wAs national chairman Of the q
We against the boarding Of gold <
as such, visited many sections Of =
country. He was strongly urged y
accept the Craftsmanship CT the Re =
]llcan National Committee and so 4
enptory was the demand that ),
en- il Europe IN 1884, he had to de- .
the honor categorically. The %
De ycar ne assisted both the Re -,
'lican Senatorial and Congressional q
nnittess Ia an advisory capacity -
spoke for Republican candidates -
Maine, Wisconsin. Pennsylvania. n
%, Michigan and Illinois. ~
0 this way Frank Knox has not co
q wider personal acquaintance IN
ii most public lei Of the day but, or
- Il