Evening star., 1938-12-04
Edgerton Funeral
Rites 10 Be Held
On tuesday
New Thought Alliance
Head Died Suddenly
Yesterday

Funeral services for James Arthur
Edgerton, 50. past president of the
international New Thought Alliance
and one time candidate for Vice
President Of the United States on
the Prohibitionist-Labor ticket, will
be held at pm. Tuesday at the
Hines funeral home, 29Ol Four
teenth street NV.
Mr.. Edgerton died suddenly at his
residence, 3O08 Virginia boulevard,
Beverly Hills, Va, early yesterday
morning.
He had been active and prominent
IN literary, educational. political,
fraternal and religious affairs for
approximately half a century.
Was Native Of Ohio.
Born at Plantsville, Ohio, January
80, 1859, he received B. A. and M. A.
degrees at Marietta College, where
Vice President Charles G. Dawes
was classmate. AS q writer for
and later the editor of a number of
country newspapers, he won atten-
ton for the earnestness Of his con-
victions and developed a reputation
which took him into reform politics
in company with william Jennings
Bryan and the leaders of the Popu-
list party. His first public service
was as secretary of the State Labor
Board Of Nebraska, 1895 to 1899.
Then, turning back to journalism,
he was a member of the staff of
the Denver News, carrying on
Eugene Fields famous column in
that paper from 1899 to 1903.
Mr.. Edgerton's next employment
was with the American Press Asso-
citation in New York. Subsequently,
he was associated with Watson's
Magazine and. as an editorial writer,
with the New York American. He
came to Washington In 1913 to
accept an appointment offered by
President Wilson to be purchasing
agent of the Post Once Department,
a position which he filled until
1921, when he was named prohibi-
ton director for the State of New
Jersey.
In Private Business.
During the last decade he had
been in private business. with Offices
in the National Press Building.
Mr.. Edgerton meanwhile had
achieved distinction as leader in
philosophic fields. He was president
of the National New Thought Alli-
ance, 1909-19l4. and of the Inter-
national Alliance, l9l4-l924.
His published books included
Songs Of the People" New Thought
and the Coming Religion The
Philosophy Of Jesus and several
other titles. A new volume of poems
is now in press.
Mr.. Edgerton was nominated for
the vice presidency in 1923. He was
the candidate of the Prohibition
Labor party and made an energetic
campaign not so much for election
as in behalf of support for laws
designed to abolish the illicit traffic
in liquor. 1t was his belief that the
merits of prohibition never could
be demonstrated until 1t had been
enforced effectively and honestly.
Six Children Survive.
In 1895 Mr.. Edgerton married his
second cousin, Miss Blanche Edger-
ton. who survives with six children:
James c.. wartime pilot and pioneer
airmail flyer; Joseph s.. aviation
editor of The Star; John Eldon,
Justin, Esther CMrs. George Lacy
and Elizabeth (Mrs. Frederick KOCH.
There are eight grandchildren.
For many years the family home
was the old Leadbeater estate at Fort
Lyon, near Alexandria. Va The
house was destroyed by fire, and Mr..
Edgerton built a new residence in
Beverly Hills.
He was 32nd Degree Mason and a
member of the National Press Club.