The Topeka State Journal

IS AN EDITOR. TOO

Democratic Nominee Started as Farmer Boy, Was School Teacher Then Newspaper Man, Congressman and Three Times Governor of Ohio.

James Middleton Cox was three times governor of Ohio--an honor enjoyed by only one other Ohioan, Rutherford B. Hayes.

Born on a farm educated in the public schools, a printer's devil, a school teacher, a newspaper reporter, a private secretary to a congressman, owner, manager and proprietor of two newspapers, member of congress for three years and three times governor of his state is his record to date.

Business success paralleled his political achievements and thru his own efforts Cox has amassed a fortune. Mr. Cox became the leader of the Democratic party in Ohio in 1912 when he was nominated for governor. As one who had brought radical changes in the state constitution, he took the field in its behalf.

His first term as governor was devoted chiefly to forwarding the enactment of laws to put the new state constitution into effect. But Ohio evidently was not prepared to assimilate all the new laws. For Cox was defeated for re-election. But his party renominated him in 1916 and he was re-elected for a third term in 1918, being the only Democrat to win in Ohio.

Legislation for which Cox is best known includes a model workmen's compensation law and a child labor law which have been extensively copied by other states. Educators of the country say the Ohio school code, enacted under Governor Cox's direction, will live as a monument to his achievements.

Mr. Cox was born in Butler county, Ohio, in 1870. He attended district school and held his first position as a teacher of the school in which he took his first lessons. He spent evenings and holidays in a printing office. In a few years he received his first assignment on the reportorial staff of the Cincinnati Enquirer.

After ten years with the Enquirer, he went to Washington as a private Secretary to Congressman Paul Sore, of Ohio. At the close of this service he purchased the Dayton Daily News, borrowing most of the money to pay for it. Later he purchased the Springfield Daily News He was first elected to congress in 1908.

He recently purchased the farm near Jacksonburg upon which he was born, and is making it into a modern farm home where he expects to live on retirement from public office. He married and has four children.