Ohio History Journal

JAMES E. CAMPBELL HONORED

On July 7, 1923, Honorable James E. Campbell, by

general consent was hailed as the first citizen of Colum-

bus on the occasion of the celebration of the eightieth

anniversary of his birth. Throughout the day he was

the recipient in his office of many congratulatory greet-

ings and messages from other states and nations. In

the evening a banquet was given in his honor at the

Scioto Country Club by about 250 of his friends. Hon-

orable Claude Meeker of Columbus, formerly private

secretary to Governor Campbell and for many years his

intimate associate and friend, presided as toastmaster.

Those who paid tribute to the guest of honor were Gov-

ernor A. V. Donahey, former Governor James M. Cox,

former Secretary of the Navy Newton D. Baker, Joseph

Schonthal, Dr. W. O. Thompson, Robert F. Wolfe,

Henry A. Williams, Colonel Edward Orton, Jr., and

Mayor James J. Thomas. From a great mass of tele-

grams Mr. Meeker read a few from distinguished

Americans, friends of the guest of the evening. Among

these were greetings from President Warren G. Hard-

ing, who wired from Seattle, Washington; former Pres-

ident Woodrow Wilson, Senator F. B. Willis, Joseph P.

Tumulty, Congressman John McSweeney, Chief Justice

William Howard Taft, former Governor Judson Har-

mon, former Governor Harry L. Davis, Judge Kenesaw

Mountain Landis, Ambassador Myron T. Herrick, who

cabled his congratulations from Paris; Charles G.

Dawes, Clarence R. Edwards, Webb C. Hayes, D.

Meade Massie, and Dr. T. C. Mendenhall.

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Jaimes E. Campbell Honored          635

In a well-timed and most interesting address Gov-

ernor James M. Cox recalled the troublous times in Cin-

cinnati in the latter part of Governor Campbell's admin-

istration. He declared that Governor Campbell "threw

aside almost certain opportunity for elevation to the

presidency in 1890 by refusing to bend to expediency."

"He recognized," declared Governor Cox, "the need

of a house cleaning in a certain Ohio city and he never

faltered in performing the unpleasant task." By this

"house cleaning" within his own party organization in

Cincinnati, Governor Campbell sacrificed the opportuni-

ties for re-election. "Had he been re-elected governor

in 1891," continued Governor Cox, "he certainly would

have been elected President in. 1892, when all conditions

favored a Democratic landslide. By acting as he did he

alienated many members of his own party but he pur-

sued his course confident of its righteousness." The

other addresses were of a high order of excellence.

They will perhaps be printed in separate form in full.

We include here only the address of the Toastmaster,

who was peculiarly fitted because of long years of inti-

mate friendship to characterize Governor Campbell:

 

Back in the days ranging from 1882 to 1886, when Gover-

nor Campbell was regularly elected to Congress from a district

that normally belonged to the opposition party, I was a very

young newspaper reporter, writing mostly about politics and

always looking for a new story. It seemed to me that a man

that could win against such odds would make a good candidate

for Governor, so I wrote Congressman Campbell at Washing-

ton and told him so, adding that I would like to meet him at the

first convenient opportunity and talk it over. Now, Governor

Campbell is noted for never overlooking a bet. Murat Hal-

stead, the great editor of the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette,

said he would drive across three counties at midnight in the

rain to make a single vote, and when you consider that he was

once elected by a plurality of two votes, you can understand

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636       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

how important the single vote was. At any rate he answered

the letter with a telegram saying, "I will be in Columbus Thurs-

day afternoon -- meet me at Frank Maxwell's office." Now,

the Governor may have thought anything was worth trying

once, or it may have occurred to him that a youth with a basic

foundation of such sound, common sense, was worth looking

over. But we met at Frank Maxwell's office.

I do not claim to be the first "Campbell for Governor" man

in Ohio, but a devoted band of adherents narrowly missed

nominating him at Cleveland in 1887, and two years later made

him the Standard Bearer at Dayton, in which year he made the

memorable campaign against the gallant and attractive Foraker.

I wish to say of Governor Campbell that I knew him for six

years in Congress, for two years as Governor, and for several

years in other places of trust, and in all that time his devotion

to public duty was marked, and his integrity was as a flaming

jewel. Ohio has had many great Governors, but in the qualities

of human sympathy, courtesy, kindness and great personal

charm, combined with a charity and toleration for the faults of

his fellow men, I do not think he has had an equal.

Were I asked to state what has been the outstanding feature

of Governor Campbell's character in the forty years that I have

known him, what has been his greatest asset as a statesman and

a citizen, I would unhesitatingly reply "Courage" -- a courage

that has never quailed in defeat nor ebbed in adversity. His

record in this respect should be a constant inspiration to both

the young and the old.

And that reminds me that it was not necessarily all moral

bravery. A good many of you here perhaps are not aware that

he used to fancy himself physically. I remember on one occa-

sion when he had flayed an adversary in a speech, he met him

later on the street and thought he might as well finish the job.

Our good friend and neighbor, Henry Bohl, and myself pinioned

the Governor while his victim made his escape.

Now I am going to tell you a secret. In the fulness of

time, and may the time be long delayed. when our honored guest

makes his appearance on the Golden Streets, St. Peter standing

at the gate will not be compelled to ask any questions as to

whom approaches. Far away he will hear the pipes as the

besieged British heard the glorious strain at Lucknow bringing

them succor and relief -- Peter will throw the portals wide open

as the people of Ohio did thirty-four years ago and join in the

refrain --

"The Campbells are coming -- ha! ha! ha! ha!"

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James E. Campbell Honored            637

The program of the evening was concluded by the

presentation to Governor James E. Campbell of a book

most artistically wrought by Professor William Davis

Trumbull of the Ohio State University. The design of

the book was the joint inspiration of Professor Trum-

bull and Colonel Edward Orton, Jr., "who laid the

groundwork on which rests the other glories of the mas-

terpiece." The dedicatory opening of the book contains

this salutation and greeting:

We do this not only that he may know how dear we hold

him but also that others, whose lives are yet to come, may

learn from our words what it is that makes a man's life a joy

to himself, a delight to those about him and at last an enduring

memory.

A fine pen and ink portrait of Governor Campbell

graces the first page after the dedicatory opening.

The frontispiece of the program for the evening was

a pen drawing of Governor Campbell. On the inside

cover was this tribute from his friends:

A patriot of the war of 1861-65, a statesman of long

service, a former governor of Ohio, an outstanding man of af-

fairs, a courteous and unassuming gentleman, whom we delight

at all times to honor for what he is even more than for what

he has done.

We deem it an especially propitious time on this, his eigh-

tieth birthday, to greet him and to express as best we may in

some enduring form, the warmth of our feelings and the sin-

cerity of our admiration and respect for him, our neighbor and

our friend.

In a few well chosen words and a voice tremulous

with emotion Governor Campbell accepted the beautiful

book containing the names of the guests of the evening.

And thus closed this happy function in commemoration

of the life and character of a distinguished citizen of

Ohio whom everyone delights to honor.

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