Channing Harris Cox (October 28, 1879 – August 20, 1968) was an American Republican politician, lawyer, and businessman from Massachusetts. He served as the 49thGovernor of Massachusetts, from 1921 to 1925. He attended Dartmouth College and served as lieutenant governor to Calvin Coolidge, winning election as governor after Coolidge decided to run for vice president. Cox was noted for advancing progressive labor legislation and adjusting administrative law to Massachusetts' changing economy. He was also the first Massachusetts governor to use radio, when he broadcast live from the Eastern States Exposition on September 19, 1921, at the debut of station WBZ in Springfield.[1]
Channing Cox was born in Manchester, New Hampshire, to Charles Edson Cox and Evelyn Mary (Randall) Cox.[2] He was one of four brothers, one being Louis Cox, who became a Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court.[3] He attended the Manchester public schools and then Dartmouth College, from which he graduated in 1901. He then attended Harvard Law School, receiving his degree there in 1904.[4] Cox remained a lifelong supporter of Dartmouth, where a residence hall is named in his honor.
Cox then opened a law practice in Boston, Massachusetts, which he maintained until he was elected governor.[4]
Political career
Cox entered politics soon after opening his practice, winning his first race for elective office in 1908, for a seat on the Boston Common Council. The following year he won election to the state legislature, where he served nine annual terms, the last four as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. During these years he became politically associated with Calvin Coolidge, who was Senate President and Lieutenant Governor. Coolidge tapped Cox as his running mate for governor in 1918, and Cox served two one-year terms as lieutenant governor. Coolidge stepped back to run for Vice President of the United States in 1920.[4]
Cox ran for governor in 1920, which was the first two-year term for the office. His victory over John Jackson Walsh was part of a broad national win for the Republicans, including a sweep of statewide offices in Massachusetts, which was spurred by nativist opposition to Wilson administration policies on immigration.[5] Cox contributed to the anti-immigrant sentiment in Massachusetts by characterizing discontented immigrants as a "motley array of questionable groups and influences".[6] He won reelection in 1922, in another race against disorganized Democratic opposition. Although the state was in an economic downturn (an early whisper of the Great Depression), with textile production dropping and wages down, his campaigns emphasized "economy and sound administration" in governance, terms which characterized Republican campaigns through the 1920s.[7] In 1922, Cox defeated former Mayor of BostonJohn "Honey Fitz" Fitzgerald by more than 60,000 votes.[8]
As governor, Cox was somewhat more progressive than Coolidge, advancing a variety of modest reforms. He increased schooling requirements and reduced working hours for children, allowed labor unions to instigate lawsuits against employers, and improved workmen's compensation coverage. He signed legislation restricting the ability of state banks to engage in speculative investments, and instituted a commission on finance and reform to oversee the state's finances.[9] In the 1922 race, Cox claimed credit for reducing income taxes by $2 million and the state's debt by $12 million.[10] Substantive reforms were typically buried by the legislature, which studied reform proposals but generally did not act on them.[11] Cox opted not to run for reelection in 1924, supporting Lieutenant Governor Alvan T. Fuller as his successor.
Later years and family
After leaving office, Cox was encouraged to run for the United States Senate, for the seat opened by the death of Henry Cabot Lodge. He refused, and spent the rest of his active years involved in business and philanthropic pursuits. He served on the boards of numerous local corporations, banks, and non-profits,[4] and was an active member of the state humane society.[12] He died in 1968 at his summer home in West Harwich, Massachusetts, and was buried in Boston's Forest Hills Cemetery.[4]
Cox had married Mary Young of Wellfleet in 1915; they had one child.[4]
channing, channing, harris, october, 1879, august, 1968, american, republican, politician, lawyer, businessman, from, massachusetts, served, 49th, governor, massachusetts, from, 1921, 1925, attended, dartmouth, college, served, lieutenant, governor, calvin, co. Channing Harris Cox October 28 1879 August 20 1968 was an American Republican politician lawyer and businessman from Massachusetts He served as the 49th Governor of Massachusetts from 1921 to 1925 He attended Dartmouth College and served as lieutenant governor to Calvin Coolidge winning election as governor after Coolidge decided to run for vice president Cox was noted for advancing progressive labor legislation and adjusting administrative law to Massachusetts changing economy He was also the first Massachusetts governor to use radio when he broadcast live from the Eastern States Exposition on September 19 1921 at the debut of station WBZ in Springfield 1 Channing H CoxCox in 1921Chair of the National Governors AssociationIn office December 14 1922 November 17 1924Preceded byWilliam Cameron SproulSucceeded byElbert Lee Trinkle49th Governor of MassachusettsIn office January 6 1921 January 8 1925LieutenantAlvan T FullerPreceded byCalvin CoolidgeSucceeded byAlvan T Fuller47th Lieutenant Governor of MassachusettsIn office January 2 1919 January 6 1921GovernorCalvin CoolidgePreceded byCalvin CoolidgeSucceeded byAlvan T FullerSpeaker of the Massachusetts House of RepresentativesIn office 1915 1918Preceded byGrafton D CushingSucceeded byJoseph E WarnerMember of theMassachusetts House of RepresentativesIn office 1909 1918Member of the Boston Common CouncilIn office 1908 1909Personal detailsBornChanning Harris Cox 1879 10 28 October 28 1879Manchester New Hampshire U S DiedAugust 20 1968 1968 08 20 aged 88 West Harwich Massachusetts U S Political partyRepublicanSpouseMary Young m 1915 Children1EducationDartmouth College AB Harvard University LLB Contents 1 Early years 2 Political career 3 Later years and family 4 See also 5 References 6 SourcesEarly years EditChanning Cox was born in Manchester New Hampshire to Charles Edson Cox and Evelyn Mary Randall Cox 2 He was one of four brothers one being Louis Cox who became a Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court 3 He attended the Manchester public schools and then Dartmouth College from which he graduated in 1901 He then attended Harvard Law School receiving his degree there in 1904 4 Cox remained a lifelong supporter of Dartmouth where a residence hall is named in his honor Cox then opened a law practice in Boston Massachusetts which he maintained until he was elected governor 4 Political career EditCox entered politics soon after opening his practice winning his first race for elective office in 1908 for a seat on the Boston Common Council The following year he won election to the state legislature where he served nine annual terms the last four as Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives During these years he became politically associated with Calvin Coolidge who was Senate President and Lieutenant Governor Coolidge tapped Cox as his running mate for governor in 1918 and Cox served two one year terms as lieutenant governor Coolidge stepped back to run for Vice President of the United States in 1920 4 Cox ran for governor in 1920 which was the first two year term for the office His victory over John Jackson Walsh was part of a broad national win for the Republicans including a sweep of statewide offices in Massachusetts which was spurred by nativist opposition to Wilson administration policies on immigration 5 Cox contributed to the anti immigrant sentiment in Massachusetts by characterizing discontented immigrants as a motley array of questionable groups and influences 6 He won reelection in 1922 in another race against disorganized Democratic opposition Although the state was in an economic downturn an early whisper of the Great Depression with textile production dropping and wages down his campaigns emphasized economy and sound administration in governance terms which characterized Republican campaigns through the 1920s 7 In 1922 Cox defeated former Mayor of Boston John Honey Fitz Fitzgerald by more than 60 000 votes 8 As governor Cox was somewhat more progressive than Coolidge advancing a variety of modest reforms He increased schooling requirements and reduced working hours for children allowed labor unions to instigate lawsuits against employers and improved workmen s compensation coverage He signed legislation restricting the ability of state banks to engage in speculative investments and instituted a commission on finance and reform to oversee the state s finances 9 In the 1922 race Cox claimed credit for reducing income taxes by 2 million and the state s debt by 12 million 10 Substantive reforms were typically buried by the legislature which studied reform proposals but generally did not act on them 11 Cox opted not to run for reelection in 1924 supporting Lieutenant Governor Alvan T Fuller as his successor Later years and family EditAfter leaving office Cox was encouraged to run for the United States Senate for the seat opened by the death of Henry Cabot Lodge He refused and spent the rest of his active years involved in business and philanthropic pursuits He served on the boards of numerous local corporations banks and non profits 4 and was an active member of the state humane society 12 He died in 1968 at his summer home in West Harwich Massachusetts and was buried in Boston s Forest Hills Cemetery 4 Cox had married Mary Young of Wellfleet in 1915 they had one child 4 In 1922 Cox became a compatriot of the Massachusetts Society of the Sons of the American Revolution See also Edit1915 Massachusetts legislature 1917 Massachusetts legislature 1918 Massachusetts legislatureReferences Edit WBZ NewsRadio 1030 History 1920s CBS Boston March 14 2010 Archived from the original on May 1 2016 Retrieved September 6 2016 Who s who in New England 1909 Louis S Cox Dies at 87 Was High Court Justice The Boston Globe May 13 1961 p 6 a b c d e f Former Governor Channing Cox dies Boston Globe August 21 1968 Litt p 26 27 Litt p 31 Huthmacher p 49 Huthmacher p 58 Harman p 207 Huthmacher p 72 Huthmacher p 71 Harman p 208Sources EditHarman Jennifer ed 2008 Massachusetts Encyclopedia Hamburg MI State Historic Publications ISBN 9781878592651 OCLC 198759722 Huthmacher J Joseph 1959 Massachusetts People and Politics 1919 1933 Cambridge MA Belknap Press OCLC 460668046 Litt Edgar 1965 Political Cultures of Massachusetts Cambridge MA MIT Press OCLC 391067 Political officesPreceded byGrafton D Cushing Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives1915 1918 Succeeded byJoseph E WarnerPreceded byCalvin Coolidge Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts1919 1921 Succeeded byAlvan T FullerGovernor of Massachusetts1921 1925Preceded byWilliam Cameron Sproul Chair of the National Governors Association1922 1924 Succeeded byElbert Lee TrinkleParty political officesPreceded byCalvin Coolidge Republican nominee for Governor of Massachusetts1920 1922 Succeeded byAlvan T Fuller Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Channing H Cox amp oldid 1135155430, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
