Buys Dayton News
The business men of Dayton tell me that the News was then about as hopeless an enterprise as could be imagined. It was operating at a loss, its press was falling to pieces and its reputation was nil. However, Mr. Cox insisted that he could be happier with a bankrupt paper of his own, than with a great prosperous metropolitan daily owned by others. 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. This has been illustrated in many other cases. Even certain great metropolitan dailies which today are so allied with the reactionary interests, won their original success by independently serving the people.
The Dayton News was the life of James M. Cox. According to all accounts he “ate, drank and slept” his newspaper. He determined its policy, he wrote the editorials, he made up the head lines and he read the proofs. When anybody asked him what he thought on certain subjects, he would invariably reply, “Read the Dayton News. I have said in that paper what I think and I can say no more.”
Dayton merchants speak well of Mr. Cox; but are not enthusiastic about him. They look upon him as a successful business man, altho they don’t especially like his paper. He apparently made many enemies by once getting into a fight with the National Cash Register Co. which wanted Dayton to make certain improvements. The Dayton News insisted that these improvements would be unfair to the rest of the city and fought them. Much feeling was developed upon both sides. Who was right I cannot prove; but those who really know Cox cannot help believing that he was.
Acquires a Springfield Paper
A few years later, Cox found another paper for sale in Springfield, Ohio, and purchased it. This paper was then known as the Springfield Press Republic, but the same has since been changed to the News. This was in 1903. Overnight the News changed its name and its politics. The circulation of this paper is now about 18,000 daily and Sunday. The circulation of the Dayton News is about 38,000 daily and 28,000 on Sunday. Both papers have very beautiful stone buildings, the Dayton building having been erected in 1908 and the Springfield building a few years ago. Both are monuments to James M. Cox’s industry, enterprise and foresight. On the other hand, one is not surprised at his business success after once working with him. 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?”
With one breath they all answered: “To hard work.”