[Illustration: © _Underwood and Underwood_
COX--THE MAN]
COX--THE MAN
BY
ROGER W. BABSON
NEW YORK
BRENTANO’S
1920
COPYRIGHT, 1920
BY ROGER W. BABSON
_All rights reserved_
INTRODUCTION
Never has there been a presidential election when so many voters were
undecided as to what to do. This especially applies to a great group
of Republicans who favor the United States joining the League of
Nations on some such basis as Governor Cox proposes, but who hesitate
to endorse the Democrats on account of associations. These people like
the Democratic platform and the Cox program much better than the
Republican platform and the Harding program; but, not knowing James M.
Cox, they, by instinct, hesitate to endorse him.
In view of this condition, Roger W. Babson, the noted statistician,
presents a study of Mr. Cox’s life. Mr. Babson is not a personal
friend of Mr. Cox but he has known him for some time, and has
carefully studied his work. The following is his story of James M. Cox
as a father, a citizen, and a leader for righteousness. It will be
found both helpful and interesting.
THE PUBLISHERS
CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
I. BOYHOOD DAYS 1
II. EARLY MANHOOD 12
III. BUSINESS LIFE 21
IV. HOME AFFILIATIONS 33
V. PUBLIC CAREER 41
VI. WAR RECORD 52
VII. PROHIBITION AND WOMAN SUFFRAGE 62
VIII. INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS 71
IX. NOMINATION FOR THE PRESIDENCY 84
X. LEAGUE OF NATIONS 92
XI. OTHER FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES 101
XII. HIS RECORD 114
COX--THE MAN
CHAPTER I
BOYHOOD DAYS
James Middleton Cox was born in Jacksonburg, Ohio, March 31st, 1870,
the son of Gilbert and Eliza A. Cox. Jacksonburg is about six miles
west of Middletown, Ohio, which was the business center for the
district and the place which is today looked upon as the Governor’s
home. The old house is still standing. It is of brick, two stories,
with a pitched roof. Although Jacksonburg is a small village, rather
deserted at the present time, the house looks as if the family was in
average circumstances for those days.
COX’S FAMILY
Gilbert Cox, the Governor’s father, operated a small farm which he had
inherited from his father, whose name was also Gilbert. There were
seven children, of which James was the youngest. All seven children
are still living. William keeps a store at Dayton; Scott is in the
office of the _Dayton News_; John is also in Dayton; and Charles works
in the automobile industry in Detroit. Of the two sisters, one is
Anna--the wife of Mr. John Q. Baker--and the other is now Mrs. William
Kroskopp, of Dayton. According to the neighbors, Gilbert Cox was a
severe man and brought up his son to work, although this applies to
most boys brought up on a farm. It was largely all work and no play
for children in those days. From early morning until late at night
boys were then kept busy. Moreover, history shows that such hard work
has hurt very few.
The chief recreation was to go down in the evening to Shafer’s store,
which still exists on the corner. When the weather was good, the boys
used to play outside of the store in the moonlight; but when the wet
and cold weather came, they were allowed inside to talk with the older
men or watch them play checkers. All of the residents remember James
as a boy, and several of them remember his characteristics. When he
got into Shafer’s store, he would either be discussing with the men
political problems, or else would be over in one corner, under the old
kerosene lamp, with his head buried in a good book.
He attended the little red brick schoolhouse of the neighborhood, but
the people say his father often could not let him attend in the fall
until sometime after the classes had begun. It was necessary to keep
him home to help husk the corn. Some of his teachers can still be
found. These teachers speak well of the boy, and one especially
remarked upon his memory. He also seems to have then shown some
interest in questions relating to social justice. While international
problems and industrial problems were not at that time prominent
before the American public, the boy apparently took a keen interest in
the minor events which were reported in the newspapers of their day.
The neighbors like to tell of the boy’s integrity and courage. It
apparently was very noticeable. The Shafers, who owned the country
store, are still alive, and they comment upon the boy’s energy.
Experience has taught me that the elderly are apt to remember only the
good things about their children and grandchildren as the years roll
by. Therefore, one is prepared to hear a good deal of such talk. But
in the case of Cox there is a distinctly impressive earnestness about
these comments of the elders.
HIS MOTHER
When the boy was in his teens, his mother left Jacksonburg and went to
Middletown, Ohio. What the reason for this was I do not know. Later a
formal separation took place and the father married again. He is now
living at Camden, Ohio. Although James has always been fond of his
father and now often motors over to Camden to see him, his real friend
was the mother. The tie between the boy, the man, and the mother was
quite exceptional. She lived to the ripe old age of eighty-one, having
died only three years ago. Mr. Cox says that the greatest pleasure he
ever obtained from being Governor was to have his mother witness his
inauguration. In this connection, I shall mention a story which I
heard in Dayton.
Mr. Cox was nominated for the Presidency at the San Francisco
Convention late on the night of July 6th. He was sitting in the office
of the _Dayton News_ with his wife, watching the press dispatches as
they came over the wire. Finally, the news came that he had been
nominated on the final ballot. He seemed stunned for two or three
minutes, and then rose, went across the room, kissed his wife, took
her by the arm, and the two went home. The people of Dayton knew
nothing about it until they read the papers the next morning.
Therefore, the Governor had a few hours to himself. How did he use
them? I am told that he got up early, ate a light breakfast and went
out to his mother’s grave. There he stayed for a few moments in
meditation and prayer. Then he came quickly back to where the people
already were gathering to meet him. From that moment up to this
writing, he has been in a whirl of excitement, but those few moments
at his mother’s grave apparently gave him a start in the right
direction. This right start has enabled him to meet squarely and
answer honestly the pressing questions which continually come to him.
THE UNITED BRETHREN
The United Brethren in Christ have their headquarters in the Otterbein
Press Building at Dayton, Ohio. Bishop A. T. Howard, D. D., and other
prominent men in that denomination live in Dayton and vicinity. There
are a great many adherents to this denomination thruout Ohio and
adjoining states.
The United Brethren is distinctly an American religious sect, which
was originated in the latter half of the Eighteenth Century under the
leadership of Philip William Otterbein. Altho this man was pastor of
the Second Reformed Church in Baltimore and had for his associate
Martin Boehm, a noted Pennsylvanian preacher, the movement worked
westerly to Ohio and Indiana. Otterbein and Boehm did a great work and
their followers and teachings distinctly influenced the early life of
Mr. Cox.
The ecclesiastical policy of the church is Wesleyan; but its theology
is Arminian. Arminius was a Dutch theologian who was one of the first
to oppose the stern teachings of Calvin which had been carried so far
as to almost eliminate the freedom of will. Arminius started a new
sect in Europe which took a much more liberal position, which insisted
that man can have the assistance of God and man, but is of himself
free and able to perform right or wrong.
The United Brethren believe in the sovereignty of God, but that it is
so exercised as to permit the freedom of man. Thus James M. Cox spent
his early years in an atmosphere which was saturated with this spirit
of freedom as opposed to the arbitrary use of force or even
legislation. Without doubt this early teaching influenced Mr. Cox’s
entire life. As one reads his speeches on Internationalism, Industrial
Relations, and especially Prohibition, the theology of Otterbein and
Boehm is quite apparent. Altho he is now attending with his wife the
Episcopal Church, he is still a member of the United Brethren and
instinctively a follower of that religion.
JOINS THE CHURCH
Just before reaching the little village of Jacksonburg, there is an
ancient brick church which James M. Cox’s grandfather and another
relative, James Craig, helped to build. Here James’ father was
superintendent of the Sunday School. It was in this little old church
that the boy received the early religious training to which I have
referred. The pastor was a consecrated man of evangelistic tendencies,
and the boy’s heart was apparently reached early in life. While in his
teens he joined the church. They state he was an active worker for a
boy of his age, although doubtless many other boys have as good or
better record. In addition to his speaking and teaching in Sunday
School, he rang the bell, swept out the church, and did other things
to make himself useful.
When asked about the old church, Mr. Cox said:
“There were two churches in our township: the Presbyterian and
the United Brethren. Both father and mother belonged to the
United Brethren Church and father was trustee. As you know from
your visit to Jacksonburg, this old United Brethren Church is
still a running institution. I became a member of it when I was
about fifteen and was baptized in Elk Creek, a stream two miles
east of Jacksonburg. I have always felt indebted to the old
church and have never transferred my membership. The pastors
when I was a boy were Reverends Mayne, Dunkleberger and
Kilbourne. The Reverend Fout came after I went to Middletown
but I remember him as well as the presiding elders, Reverends
McKee, Burkett and others. I even remember the visits of dear
old Doctor William J. Shuey, who is well known among the United
Brethren people altho others may not know him.”
After going to Middletown, he attended there with his mother the
Methodist Church, as no United Brethren Church then existed in
Middletown. He gave to the church and his mother all the time which
his work and study would permit. He was especially interested in the
church library and became its best patron. He was instrumental in
having the church give a dramatic entertainment entitled “The Hoosier
School Master” for the benefit of the church library. Many other
anecdotes are told which show his interest and energy.
In Middletown he lived with his sister Anna, at what is now 105 Third
Street. She married John Q. Baker, who is today postmaster of
Middletown, Ohio. Various stories have been published about the boy’s
poverty and struggles; but these are not justified by the existing
evidence. He had as good an opportunity as most boys brought up on a
farm. He perhaps made better use of them than many boys have; but to
no great extent. The truth probably is that he was sick of farm work
and wanted to get to the city. He also perhaps wanted more schooling
than Jacksonburg provided. He perhaps also wanted to be near his
mother.
As a sidelight on his interest in his mother, I will record one more
incident which was told me in Middletown. The day following his
nomination for the Presidency, and after receiving congratulations at
his home in Dayton and speaking to his workmen on the _Dayton News_,
Mr. Cox motored to his old home in Middletown. The friends and
neighbors of his boyhood days insisted on giving him a reception. They
wanted it to be held in the Sorg Opera House; but he suggested that
they have it in front of the old home where he and his mother lived at
the corner of Third and Broad Streets. The good people of Middletown
took the suggestion and erected a platform in front of the old house.
It is now occupied by Kessel’s Clothing Store and law offices. From
this platform the Governor spoke. Strange to say, this old house was
the birthplace of former Governor Campbell of Ohio, who led the Cox
delegates at the San Francisco Convention.
Mr. Baker--the sister’s husband--was somewhat older and was a teacher
at the High School in Amanda, which is three miles south of
Middletown. It was this Amanda School which the boy attended. “If
there ever was a boy who went to school for business, it was Jimmy,”
says Mr. Baker. “Not only did he work very hard at school, but he
continually plied me with questions as we used to walk back and forth
along the Miami Canal.” According to Mr. Baker, his only recreation
seemed to be arguing. “He did like to argue,” says Mr. Baker. “If
there were no debates at school or at the country grocery store, he
would seek the street corner.”
HIS SCHOOLING
For some reason or other, the boy attended school in Middletown for
only a year. I think he did not graduate. Perhaps they did not have
graduations in those days. The school, however, was the best in that
section of the country. The old farmers tell me it was called the
“Gilt Edge School” by the taxpayers, because it always required so
much money. Certainly it paid good wages for such days, as the records
show that Mr. Baker got one hundred dollars a month. It contained
three large rooms.
In short, Mr. Cox’s boyhood was similar to that of most boys brought
up on a farm. The magazine writers like to embellish it with tales of
misfortune and struggle; but the facts do not justify such stories.
He had a fair chance and was especially fortunate in receiving the
help which came from his brother-in-law, Mr. Baker.