James W. Faulkner - Journalism Career

Journalism Career

In 1887 he joined the Cincinnati Enquirer and in 1890 went to Columbus as a reporter of politics and events at the Ohio Legislature and Statehouse.

Faulkner observed the Legislature and Statehouse Staff were “cowed by lobbyists for special interest groups…buttonholing lawmakers in session…and people who posed as newspapermen acting as lobbyists…. He formed the Ohio Legislative Correspondents’ Association, an organization which required newsmen were to pass on their credentials before they could gain access to the floor of the House and Senate. Faulkner served as the organization’s first president and held the post for 24 years. He wrote a weekly piece called the "Faulkner Letter" which ran on Sundays in The Cincinnati Enquirer. He attended every national political convention of the major parties from 1892 on, and since 1896 had accompanied presidential candidates on their campaign speaking tours.

Faulkner was on terms of personal friendship with every U.S. President since Grover Cleveland, and was a special friend of Warren G. Harding. He was asked by a number of Ohio Governors and one U.S. President to accept commissions in their administrations, but politely declined each time. His reason was he wanted to stay in newspaper work. He was also a director of Citizen's Trust and Savings Bank in Columbus, Ohio.

He was named the editor-in-chief of The Toledo Commercial on August 23, 1899.

Faulkner travelled with William Jennings Bryan, in 1914, while he was Secretary of State. During World War I, was appointed a member of the Ohio Council of National Defense by Governor James M. Cox and was a member of several committees and commissions within the council.

Miami University at Oxford conferred Honorary Doctor of Letters on him September 17, 1919. He was known as the Dean of the correspondents. Faulkner was a member of Gov. Cox’s presidential train party in 1920.