Roger Ward Babson

“ Governor Cox, Senator Harding and many others of us, saw that another factor was developing which overshadowed the economic factor. When two dogs are fighting over a bone, a sensible man will keep out of the fight; but when either one of the dogs becomes so vicious as to bite a by-stander, then it is up to all good people to pounce upon the vicious dog and put him out of business. ”

“ His record as governor is truly remarkable and it may be that we shall yet discover in this simple, plain Ohio newspaper publisher, one of America’s historically great men.
But far more than in the man Cox am I interested in the principles for which he stands. He is the exponent today of all our forces of liberalism. And liberalism in my opinion is a synonym for true Americanism, not the rhetorical Americanism of phrase makers, but genuine Americanism. ”

“ We must protect ourselves against extremes in America. The horrors and tragedies of revolution can be charged to them. If government is assailed, its policy must not become vengeful. Our fathers in specifying human freedom, and providing guarantees for its preservation, recognized that among the necessary precautions was the protection of individual right against governmental abuses. ”

“ Like so many other young newspaper men, he asked himself, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?” Thus, with the help of Mr. Sorg, Cox purchased control of the Dayton News.
When one visits Dayton today and sees the beautiful and modern printing plant which this paper now possesses, he respects James M. Cox. It not only is a monument to his energy and industry, but shows that success comes from printing the truth unhampered and uncolored. ”

“ It shows too what is a key to Cox’s mind in more ways than one; his education in Jeffersonian principles of government. More faith in these principles he has retained than most leaders of his party. That is the way, when representatives of an ostensibly Jeffersonian administration, like Palmer and Burleson, bludgeoned public opinion, and other representatives, like Wilson and Baker, stood by in silence, Cox was willing to hold out against the alarmist press and the persuasive push of the steel companies. A surviving flare of Jeffersonian politics distinguishes him. ”

“ Disputes between labor and capital are inevitable. The disposition to gain the best bargain possible characterizes the whole field of exchange, whether it be product for product or labor for money. If strikes are prolonged public opinion always settles them. Public opinion should determine results in America. Public opinion is the most interesting characteristic of a democracy, but it is the real safety valve to the institutions of a free government. It at times is necessary for the Government to inquire into the facts of a tieup, but facts, and not conclusions, should be submitted. ”

“ Unlike many boys who are born on a farm he still has a love for farm life. Whenever he gets a half day of freedom, he goes out to his farm at Jacksonburg and looks at the cattle. He loves them dearly and is never so happy as when he can be amongst the animals. Mr. Cox feels that everyone who can possibly afford it should have some active part in production. He is very much interested in agriculture and the producing of food stuffs. He believes that the cost of living will be reduced only by all producing more and consuming less. ”

“ Unlike many business men, Mr. Cox has practically no outside interests. He has concentrated upon his papers endeavoring to give them the very best within him. This concentration has also had the additional advantage of keeping him independent. Although [Pg 25] interested in the Ohio Cities Gas Company, he has no entangling alliances with railroads, street railways, banks or industrials of any kind. He is dependent upon prosperity; but he has no favorites. He wants every industry to prosper. Hence, perhaps, his campaign motto: “Peace, Progress and Prosperity.” ”

“ The Wilson administration’s attitude toward labor was most perplexing even to its friends. James M. Cox takes a sane middle of the road position believing that the great function of the government is to protect men in their freedom of effort and rights of ownership while depending upon religion to energize men along lines of honesty, responsibility and service. Mr. Cox stands for production and those vital principles of independence and freedom which were so dear to the founders of our Republic and which farsighted employers regret greatly to see interfered with. ”

“ James M. Cox’s reason for having the confidence of labor is that he has always consistently carried out his promises. It is a customary thing for candidates for [Pg 79] public office to talk pleasantly to labor before the election, but to forget their promises after the votes are counted. The labor leaders of the country have been disappointed so many times in that way that they are almost discouraged. The various third party movements have come into being not because the regular candidates of the old parties would not promise enough, but rather because they would not carry out their promises. ”

“ There is no difference between neglect of the law by public officers and an attack against our institutions by the Bolsheviki. We contend, and properly so, that there is no need of revolution in this country because we have the government facilities to change the existing order by rule of the majority, but we can hardly create the proper attitude among aliens, unaccustomed to our ways, if public officers close their eyes to their oath and obligation.”
Investigation shows that Governor Cox signed every piece of legislation on prohibition enforcement which passed the Ohio legislature. ”

“ The Democratic Party is the liberal party of America; it is the safety valve of America. Everyone interested in preserving peace within our nation as well as throughout the world should vote the Democratic ticket. Altho we Democrats have not among our adherents the big business interests and are thus weak in worldly goods, we do have millions of conscientious people who believe in those fundamentals of righteousness and freedom and are willing to sacrifice therefor. I do not say as some do—that the issue is between a League of Money and a League of Nations ”

“ Government, which derives its power from the people, must keep vigilant watch in the maintenance of public confidence, and inasmuch as the need most pressing now is to provide the means of giving every man a chance to perform the function God intended, we, as the representatives of States and municipalities, enter most happily into the suggestion that we coöperate our energies with those of the National Government. ”

“ It is idle to talk of reducing governmental expense if the nation has to be armed to the teeth, and vast armies and navies will be necessary if the concerted plan of international peace fails. The guarantee against war is credit against which a debit charge must be made, and after all, this is the very crux of the controversy over the League of Nations. ”

“ I reason the same relative to financial, industrial and other local problems. I see that in order for the labor movement not to harm the manufacturer in America, labor legislation must be international in operation. For the eight-hour day to permanently succeed in America, it must apply to Europe and Japan. Otherwise industry here may ultimately suffer in competition with foreign producers. Notwithstanding Senator Lodge’s ‘America First’ standard, we cannot be ‘first’ in the long run by being selfish. We all are brothers one of another, rich or poor, American or European. ”

“ The great need in Washington today is not for the idealist nor for [Pg 32] the hard-headed business man, but rather for him who can combine these two qualities. Mr. Cox has the absolute confidence of both the business interests and the wage workers. The business interests have absolute confidence in him and the working people have a genuine affection for him. He possesses that peculiar faculty of getting together those representatives of capital who furnish employment and the great mass of the employed who are necessary to keep the wheels of industry moving. ”

“ James M. Cox is essentially a man of broad outlook, big-hearted and anxious to serve. Altho criticized by some as an idealist, his ideals seem to be of [Pg 98] the highest as if propelled by the righteousness of the causes which he represents. When referring further to the League of Nations, he said:
“These are fateful times. Organized government has a definite duty all over the world. The house of civilization is to be put in order. The supreme issue of the century is before us and the nation that halts and delays is playing with fire. ”

“ The finest impulses of humanity, rising above national lines, merely seek to make another horrible war impossible. Under the old order of international anarchy war came overnight, and the world was on fire before we knew it. It sickens our senses to think of another. We saw one conflict into which modern science brought new forms of destruction in great guns, submarines, airships, and poison gases. ”

“ He believes in the protection of property; but as a means of developing humanity and not for any thought that property is greater than humanity. He is a progressive conservative and a conservative progressive. I believe him worthy of the utmost trust on the part of both employers and wage workers and also on the [Pg 83] part of investors and consumers. If more men with Governor Cox’s vision were in office today, there would be fewer labor troubles, the cost of living would be lower, and everyone could be healthier, happier and more prosperous. ”

“ In closing this story of Cox I cannot do better than quote his concluding remarks to his Acceptance Speech which were as follows:
“How misguided some of our people are: Recognizing that readjustment must be made, they believe that they will fare better if they cast their fortunes with those with whom they voted in days gone by. They do not sense the dangers that threaten. The sort of readjustment which will appeal to our self respect and ultimately to our general prosperity is the honest readjustment. ”

“ During the steel strike he insisted that the rights of speech be maintained in the steel towns of his state. Mr. Palmer believed in the use of violence—when it is the violence of the federal agent. Mr. Cox surely did not. He did not even believe in the necessity of calling out militia to break the morale of a strike. He believes that men can be won better by reason than by bayonets. Governor Cox does not believe injunctions will mine coal. He believes that the government should observe law and order as well as the citizens. ”

“ We are seeking to shake ourselves free from the cost of war, and yet the task of readjustment along the line of constructive economy is faced at the very outset with the question of what our military and naval policy shall be.
“Let us meet these questions as brave and unselfish men, with our eyes focused on the star of righteousness. Let us be liberal, but practical; let us be kind, but firm; let us be patient, but persistent. The great need today is not more government, but better government ”

“ I know the torment of the boy who is without funds and I know his anxiety as to how he will get an education that will help him achieve his ambitions. If nomination means election, I will take to the White House this best equipment for a man in public life—experience in the ranks of those who toil. ”

“ He believed in the United States having an army and a navy adequate to protect our people, but he did not believe that the end justifies every means or that the government is greater than the people who make it up.
Hence, when the Naval Appropriation Bill was under consideration he made in Congress a bitter attack on the Republican Administration’s method of obtaining recruits. He produced evidence showing that recruits were obtained under false pretenses; that boys were encouraged to state an age older than they really were; and that even liquor and bad women were used to lure men to enlist. ”

“ We are living in the most thrilling time in all history, and our resolves are centered in the contribution to our children and our children’s children of that measure of human contentment, justice and opportunity which will record us as the worthy sons of worthy sires. ”

“ A man with such energy and good judgment could not help getting on.
James M. Cox is surely a conservative business man. His two papers are profitable and all with newspaper experience know it requires much ability to successfully run a newspaper. Moreover, this success doubtless has been due to his ability to surround himself with able and conscientious men. He knows men and can select them with great skill. I was one day talking over his business career with a number of prominent Middletown business men. I asked: “To what do you ascribe the Governor’s great business success?” ”

“ Cox very sound on economic problems. His ideas on taxation are not popular with the politicians; but are sound from the economist point of view. He is opposed to the present form of taxation which increases prices and retards development. He believes that present Federal taxes should be repealed and instead constructive laws should be enacted. He believes in taxation which will tend to develop improvements rather than retard them; taxation which will tend to retard consumption rather than increase it; taxation which will result in reducing waste rather than in encouraging it. ”

“ But this has not been the worst phase of the situation; unfamiliar with law, having no understanding of the principles of our Government, they have fallen an easy prey to unpatriotic and designing persons. Public opinion has had no influence upon them because they have been isolated from the current of opinion, all due to their not being able to read or write our language. It is the duty of the Federal Government to stimulate the work of Americanization on the part of church, school community agencies, State governments and industry itself. ”

“ Finally, there can be no result worth while unless the nations of the earth assume a definite obligation one to another. The mere promise of this country to place its responsibility on the shifting sands of congressional caprice is a travesty to human intelligence. ”