The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-04-09
ADDRESS.TO THE
PEOPLE OF OKLAHOMA

Having decided to enter the race
for nomination as candidate for gov
ernor OF the state Of Oklahoma, feel
that It is duty owe to those whcse
suffrage ask TO state frankly my
position on questions Affecting the
welfare If the people of the state. No
candidate for office should leave the
people in doubt as to his views on
public matters with which be may
have 10 deal The voter has q right
60 Know before he casts his vote for
J that the candidate stands; and Il his
policy Is not sound the voter should
manifest his disapproyal by voting
gainst the candidate.
am steadfast believer in the
/ fundamental principles Of the demo
cratic party; / believe that the pros
perity and happiness OF the masses
Of our citizens are best secured by
the application OF these principles in
| government II IS my desire that the
ideas Of government, as embodied Ia
/ the principles Of the democratic par
ty obtain IN the state of Oklahoma,
thus insuring to each individual an
equal opportunity in the struggle for
success.
Removal OF Restrictions.
One Of the most vital questions be
fore the people of this commonwealth
and one In which the people In every
section OF the state are interested, is
the removal Of restrictions upon alien
alton of lands in the Indian Territory
My views on this subject | have
recently set forth in a publishhed let
| ter. without again going into the
| question extensively, will state that
! favor the removal of all restrictions
upon the sale of lands of allottees OF
the Indian Territory. except a rea
sonabIe amount of lands OF fullblood
Indians as homesteads. This policy.
enacted into law, will tend toward
the rapid development of the state.
| while, 1t the same time, 1t will make
better and more self-relant citizens
| OF a large body of our people.
Public Schools.
We should inaugurate a public
1 school system as good as we can de-
| wise. It should be the constant boast
OF our people that no state in the I'm
] ion gives more thought and caro- to
the education OF its children than the
state of oklahoma. No better invest
ment of the peoples money can be
made by any state than in the main
tenance of a splendid system of pnb-
lie schools.
Educational matters in one half Of
the state are In deplorable condi-
! tion Practically no free schools have
heretofore existed in the Indian Ter
Iritory. outside the incorporated towns
and In many Of the towns the school
in existence are entirely inadequatc
to meet the needs OF the people. In
the country there are thousands of
naturally bright boys and girls who
have become mental starvlings, and
are doomed TO life of bllghted pros
. poets for lack of educational adyan.
: tages system of public schools
: should be devised in keeping with the
progressive spirit OF the state,
Separate schools should be proyid
ed for the negro children of the new
state. where they can receive the
benefits Of the public schools and be
4 .ome more useful citizens. ! am op
! posed TO what Is known as mixed
schools'-schools where white and
negro children meet on a common
plane, Between the two races in all
: social matters, 1t has created an i'm
! passable barrier, and the man who
advocates the breaking down of this
barrier is an enemy 70 both races.
Convict Labor.
The convict labor in the state, IN
my judgment, shorld. as far as pos
sible, be employed on public improve
l. ments The crimes they commit ars
3 crimes against the state, and in atom
); ing for these crimes their labor
r. should be so employed as TO mare t6
3, to the public benefit BY following
! this curse, this class Of laboy will BE-
S practically removed from competition
with honest labor-a condition TO bs
most earnestly desired In the i'm
provement OF our roads the labor o
hundreds OF conyicts can be continu
ously employed and TO the benefit q
the piblic at large and TO the detrl
ment OF no laboring man.
Corporations and Trusts.
How TO control the corporations II
the state Is a oiostion that will de
2 mand immediate attention, and tbs
q proper solution Of this difficult prob
lem viii result in permanent good tC
th' blihbitNtNlAHs III iHla HAg ~
e development when Improvements are
undertaken which reglire the expen
liiure OF immense SIMS OF money
combinations of capital In the forms
i Of partnerships or corporations have
become necessary. Corporations arr
e as essential to the proper develop
!. ulent OF the resources OF the state a.
are individuals; but while essentia
e TO the growth OF the commonwealth
we should not lose sight OF the fac
that they need 10 be controlled an,
made TO respect the law Just as indi
q yidulls are. They should be preclud
s ed by law from taking part in polit
ical campaigns The individual stock
hoidsi mas legitimate interest IN al
4 political contests. and he shogld bea
his part WE'LL but the corporation
q must he denied the privilege OF usini
It's money or influence 10 accomplish
the elevation Of any man 10 power
Rigid laws should be passed anl
N enforced. which will prevent agree
e ments and combinations of indiyid
!, rails or corporations. having for thei