Member of the Masons
James M. Cox is a member of the Jefferson Masonic Lodge of Middletown, Ohio. Among the many letters which came to him after his nomination for the Presidency was one from the lodge which he seemed to prize most highly. He commented on the fact that the Middletown Lodge had furnished Ohio two Governors.
Although interested in all forward looking movement for the betterment of mankind, Mr. Cox is very fond of the old things. The Jacksonburg farm where he was born has been fixed up by him in a most interesting way. All the old fire-places have been opened; a mammoth one, eight feet long and five feet high, is in the dining room; while great four poster beds are in each chamber. The entire house is—in fact—furnished with old fashioned furniture. The present care-taker was about the place when James M. Cox was a boy and he tells me that he “nursed him.” On the walls in the living room are oil paintings of his grandmother Graig and grandfather Gilbert Cox, the one who built the church. One look at the faces of these two fine old people shows clearly from where he inherits his honesty, courage and energy.
CHAPTER V
PUBLIC CAREER
James M. Cox’s public career commenced in a small way when he was working for his brother-in-law, Mr. Baker, on the News-Signal in Middletown, Ohio. Political events were always the most important events in Ohio. Hence to be a successful reporter to an Ohio paper, required a political sense of fitness and knowledge of things. This sense young Cox readily developed.
It was this interesting political work which he had in Middletown that was lacking in Cincinnati. Altho the job on the Cincinnati Enquirer paid much more and would have been preferred by many men, it did not appeal to Cox on account of it lacking constructive interest. Mr. Cox never showed much interest in business for the sake of making money. He seemed always to like to do things—the harder the better.