The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-03-31

traces swinging from the plow-horse.
| have seen the hardy son of toll pass
into the shadow OF his humble, cheer
ful, Christian home. | saw the ma
jostic oaks lengthen their great
shadows toward the east and the
sun send a golden bonediction across
the happy rural scene as he sank
behind the hills. And | know that
from such a life as this Lee Cruce
has gathered that serene spirit, that
modesty yet majestic OF thought,
speech and action, that rustic cour.
age and above all and more than all
that sympathy and love for plain
things and plain people that has
made him a foeless leader in Ard.
more. respected and honored wher.
ever known and the logical eXpon-
ent OF that party in the imperial
state of Oklahoma which would have
its chief magistrate as spotless as
the virgin robe which will fall upon
the first governors shoulders.
Here It seems / could cease to pen
this article. My purpose was to say
to anyone who reads this, | have
known this man all his life and he is
worthy Of your complete confidence.
! have accounted in brief for those
traits of character which have in
their simple strength destroyed all
lines Of difference here and about
the home and made men Of opposing
parties say. as leading one said the
other day to me: 81 cannot vote in
the Democratic primary, but as sure
as the Democrats nominate Lee
Cruce he will get my vote and hun
dreds OF others like mine.
But there are some vital questions
fronting the voter of Oklahoma,
which he must first find solved in
the life and principles of some leader.
If those who read this are looking
/ for comeptent, clean. ripe. business
J
woul embody in his past life and
present principles all that that splen-
did New State Constitution declares.
we point to Lee Cruce.
Competent, because ns n lawyer Of
ton years standing, as an officer, as
trustee Of public and private inter.
ests, as business man he has touch.
ed nothing he has not brought to
success.
Clean. because there Is not a blot
upon his honor. He would own no
man and no man dare claim any
ownership in him. Make Lee Cruce
first governor Of this state and as a
people, you set your sovereign seal
against professional politics, ring
rule and stock jobbery in Office in Ok,
lahoma forever Ask man who
knows him, what private promises
he is making to get the governorship
this show you DIP not know him.
Because II is a sixth sense in him to
cast out the superfluous in a business
proposition. And he says that the
only power that can make or should
make a single official in Oklahoma is
the people, ana to them only, will he
make promises.
We use the term ripe. II should
be used In describing any man who
aspires to the highest Office in the
gift Of our state. Born in 1868. Mr..
Cruce has reached years lying be.
tween boyish fervor and changeless
age. Add to this his knowledge of
the law and his varied and broad
experiences as a financial leader, you
will see that a mature hand and
head are secured when he is chosen.
business-like, from every quarter
comes the cry, Let Oklahima's first
chief executive he a doer not a
dreamer, an originator not an exploit
er. man with untainted success
written over against his own bust.
ness Some who scent danger TO
their tribe have sneered at Lee
Cruces bank career am In po.
sition 10 know from whence has
sprung every element OF success that
has made the Ardmore National
bank phenomenal. It did not arise