The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-03-31
{. D. CAMERON, OF SULPHUR
ANNOUNCES AS CANDIDATE FOR Superintendent OF
OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION.

am a devout believer in the doc
trine that the Office should seek the
man and not the man the Office. This
feeling. has kept me from placing my
name before the public as candiaat
and IT is only after being earnestly so
licited. Tor several months, by many
leading democrats representing every
section of the state. that l announce
myself as a candidate for the Office OF
Superintendent OF Public Instruction
of the state OF Oklahoma, subject 10
the democratic primary. | am a dem
ocrat. have been a standard bearer in
the party from toyhOod, and believe
with all my heart. that the old party
is the political hope OF Oklahoma
The people the great, honest, com
mon people have an overwhelming
majority placed the writing OF the
constitution, the organic law OF the
state I'm the hands of the democrat
ic party. We have written that consu'
tuition. and / believe 1t to be the best
constitution ever given To state.
II must be adopted by democratic
votes and placed in operation by dem
ocratic statesmen. Republicans are
not in sympathy with the constitution
written and SHOULD not be trusted to
give it Interpretation, to enforce its
provisions, or in any way inaugurate
this glorious era that marks the be-
ginning OF constitutional liberty and
American citizenship in Oklahoma.
In announcing my candidacy for
this great office. desire to say 10
all of the people of every section oi
Oklahoma that do 30 realizing fully
and keonly that the office OF super
intendent of Public instruction is one
of the most important and responsi-
ble in the state. | would not accept
the Office if did not feel that ! can
fill II to the interest and advantage OF
our people. | think | understand the
duties of the Office and | pledge my
self to discharge its duties fearless
and honestly to the best of my abil-
ity. and to the interests of all the per
pie OF the state, regardless of rae,
color or previous condition of ser'I
tude. 1t has been my prlvI! 'se to be
n citizen of Oklahoma and Indian Ter
rirory for more than fifteen Yeas. In
Z ,nnual from Texas
to Norman, where | spent delight
full year. Since that time It has been
my fortune to live in Oklahoma city
El Reno, Muskogee, Pauls valley
Chickasha, South McAlester and Sui
phur. In all of these cities | tried tc
be helpful in building a good citizen
ship and now have friends in them al
who are enshrined in my heart tC
stay there forever.
In 1898, was appointed by Hon
w. c. Renfrow governor of Okla
homa, State Superintendent of Public
instruction and Ex-Oficio Auditor. Al
Superintendent of Public instruction
was at ~ cad of the puu,ic schoo
system of [. Territory and was elect
ed president of the Territorial Boar
of Education and was also elected
president of the Board of Re o
the Territorial Normal Schools AM
was also a member of the Schoo
Land Board During the nearly fou
years that held tho Office the publi
school system of Oklahoma was for
mulated and systemqtized and mad
one of the very best in the world. w
do not claim credit for all the work
We had brilliant and devoted Tel
ritorial Board of Education, some O
whom were republicans. and togeti
er we started the University, the Nol
NAL schools, the city and distric
schools and secured the enactemnt q
good laws, together with liberal al
propriations for the work. We ais
had throughout the Territory a ban
of teachers as loyal to duty and n
consecrated to the service of the stat
as any the world ever saw If elec
ed 1t will be great pleasure for m
to clasp hands with them in the wor
again 1t was my fortune to condu'
the first Territorial teachers inst
tute held in Oklahoma, | made III
first speech delivered in Oklahoma
favor of separate schools for the n
groes. 1t will be conceded that toe
the leading part In keeping negro,
out Of our Territorial schools and
separate district and city schools u
til the democratic legislature passc
separate school law In 1897,
1894, a delegation of negroes appea
ed before the board OF Normal Scho
Regents at Edmond, and demand'
admission into the Edmond Norm