MS-2 James Middleton Cox Papers
Scope and Content Note

The papers of James M. Cox contain a variety of materials covering the years 1908-1957. These materials include bi11s, bul1etins, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photostats (of newspapers, letters, and speeches), photographs, reports, and speeches.

The collection divides naturally into three (record) series: speeches, subject/topical files, and correspondence. The speeches, given by James M. Cox, are contained in boxes 1 and 2 of the collection, and cover the years 1908-1916 and 1918-1946, respectively. These speeches were given on various occasions and cover a variety of topics, includinq agriculture, the Civil War, (Andrew) Jackson, (Abraham) Lincoln, (support of) Payne Tariff Bill, roads, schools, taxes, and workmen's compensation. Those which may be of particular interest, include (bound) speeches by Cox, while Governor of Ohio, to the state's General Assembly (1913-1915), his acceptance speech as the democratic nominee for president of the United States in 1920 (July 6, 1920), a series of radio campaiqn speeches (1920), a speech supporting Gov. Al Smith's (D.NY) bid for the presidency in 1928 (November 3, 1928), speeches in support of Franklin D. Roosevelt and (various) policies of his administration(s), and a speech, on the occasion of FDR's death, paying tribute to Roosevelt (also commenting on Eleanor Roosevelt).

The subject/topical materials are contained in Boxes 3-6 of the Cox Papers, and cover international and political matters: 1920 (Box 3), political matters: 1920-1956 (Box 4) and gubernatorial election: 1912 (Box 4), elections: 1912, 1914, & 1916 (Box 5) and gubernatorial and general letters (Boxes 5-6). Topics
of interest, include League of Nations, the Court of International Justice, the World Monetary and Economic Conference (1933), the National Elections of 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932, 1940, & 1946, the 1912, 1914, & 1916 gubernatorial elections, the 1913 Dayton (OH) flood, Montgomery County (OH) general materials, and correspondence and clippings concerning the Wright Brothers.

The majority of material(s) in the Cox papers is found in the correspondence (record) series. These material(s) are contained in Boxes 7-43 of the collection, and cover such topics as the Florida Everglades, the Florida Land (speculation) Boom (1920's), journalism, golfing, boxing, and dog breeding.

Topics which are discussed at length and maybe of particular interest, include the economy, the New York Stock Exchange, and the Market Crash (1929), the American newspaper business, labor, industry, and politics (on all levels: international, national, regional, state, and local). Cox corresponded with many national business and political leaders of his day.

The researcher should be aware of the following before using the collection:

1. Most of the speeches contain a slip of paper affixed on  the top, over the actual speech, detailing the occasion at which the speech was given as well as the subjects covered in the speech.
   
   
2. The researcher will find that because of the breakdown into a subject/topical series and a correspondence series there is a good deal of material which is cross-referenced. For example, in the subject/topical files, under International and Political Matters: 1920(Box 4), there are materials under the heading: League of Nations. There are also materials concerning League of Nations in the correspondence series under Wilson, Woodrow. The correspondence series is filed alphabetical by the last name of the correspondent, and chronologically within each folder.
   
   
3. The materials in the correspondence series on (Franklin and Eleanor) Roosevelt originally filed alphabetically in Box 34, have been separated from the correspondence and placed in a half-sized Hollinger Box (no. 35) because of their value and frequent use as part of the Cox collection. There are two folders dealing specifically with Franklin D. Roosevelt covering the years 1921-1940 and 1941-1945 (The War Years), respectively, and one folder devoted to Eleanor Roosevelt covering the years 1945-1958. The other two folders filed under Roosevelt, Franklin D., contain newspaper clippings, photos, and Warm Springs (GA) materials.
   
   
4. Due to the value and irreplaceable nature of correspondence from some of the former Presidents including: Roosevelt, Truman, Taft, and Wilson, many of these materials have been encapsulated.
   
   
5. Due to deterioration of the newspaper clippings, all of them have been Xeroxed, and the Xerox copies put back in the collection to replace the originals.
   
   
6. The Miscellaneous files contain correspondence from historically unimportant or unrecognizable figures; if there was only a single instance of correspondence, but the correspondent was historically prominent, then that material was placed in a folder, alphabetically, by last name of the correspondent.