The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-06-06
cAMERoN's CANDIDACY
AND PLATFORM

am a dcvOut 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 a candidate
and II Is only after being earnestly
solicited for several months, by many
leading democrats representing every
section Of the state. that | announce
myslf as a candidate for the office Of
Superintendent Of Public Instruction.
OF the state of Oklahoma. subject to
the democratic primary. ! am dem
ocrat; have been standard bearer
IN the party from boyhood, and | be-
lieve with all my heart, that the old
party is the political hope of Okla
homa. The people, the great. honest
common people, by an overwhelming
majority placed in, the writing of the
constitution, the organic law OF the
state, In the hands of the democrat
ic party We have written that consti-
tuition. and ! believe It to be the best
constitution ever given to state.
II must be adopted by democratic
votes placed in operation by DEM
ocratic statesmen Republicans are
not in sympathy with the constitution
NiitttIl. anu NilNUiu ibt Dt AlNl1itu w
give it Interpretation, to enforce its
provisions, or in any way insugurate
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 to
all of the people Of every section Of
Oklahoma that | do SO realizing felly
and keenly that the Office Of Super
intendent of Public instruction is one
of the most important and responsible
in the state. | wovld not accept
the office IL did not feel that can
I'LL II to the interest and advantage of
our people, ! think | understand the
duties of the office ana I pledge my
self TO discharge its duties fearlessly
and honestly TO the best of my ability.
and to the interests of all the people
of the state. regardless of race,
color or previous condition OF servi-
tude. II has been my privilege to be
a citizen of Oklahoma and Indian Ter
ritory for more than fifteen years IN
November, 1891 | moved from Texas
to Norman, where ] spent a delight
ful year Since that time it has been
my fortune to live in Oklahoma City,
El Reno, Muskogee Pauls Valley,
Chickasha, South McAiestcr and Sui
phllr. In all these cities ] tried to
be helpful in building good citizen
ship and now have friends in them all
who are cnshrined in my heart to
stay there forever
In 1883, was appointed by Hon
w. G. Renfrow, governor OF okla
homa, State Superintendent of Public
Instruction. and Ex-Officio Auditor. AS
Superintendent of Public instruction
| was at the head OF the public school
system of the Territory and was cleo
ted president of the Territorial Board
of Education and was also elected
president of the Board of Regents Of
the Territorial Noru;pl Schools and
was also a member OF the School
Land Board During the nearly four
years that | held that office the public
school system of Oklahoma was form
nlated and sysiematizeG and made
one of the very best in the word. We
do not claim credit for all the work.
We had a brilliant and devosed Ter
ritorial Board of Education. some of
whom were republicans, and together
we started the University the Nor
NAL schools, the city and district
schools and secured the enactment of
good laws, together with liberal APP
propriations for the work We also
had throughout the Territory 2 band
of teachers as loyal to duty and as
consecrated to the service of the state
as any world ever saw. II elec-
ted II will be a great pleasure for me
TO clasp hands with them In tic work
again II was my fortune to conduct
the first Territorial teachers insti-
tute held in Oklahoma. / made the
first speech delivered in Oklahoma IL
favor OF separate schools for the ne
eroes II will be conceded that took
the leading part in keeping negroes
out OF our Territorial hools and in
separate district and city schools un-
Ill the democratic legislature pa Nsed
a separate school law in 1897. Ia
1894 a delegation Of negroes appeared
before the board OF Normal School
Regents al Edmond, and demanded
admission 20 the Edmond Normal
school AS president of the board |
made them a speech and told them
that their admission into the Normal
school world cause serious friction
and trouble; that | was their friend
ami wanted them to have just as good
schools as the white people, but want-
ed them separate ! told them that
they could never develop or have
any leaders or teachers under q united
school system: that IL wosld be
vastly better for them as race to
have separate schools and that If
they would Withdraw their claim for
admission as superintendent OF Pub
uc instruction, backed by the goyer-
nor and the whOle administration,
/ would recommend To the legislature
that they be given separate schools
just as good in every way as tne
white people had, and that would
recommend that an appropriation be
made and they be given a Territorial
school Of drst-class character, combin-
ing the features OF AN Industrial
school, normal school and uni
verslty. They were delighted with
the plan and said that was exactly
what they wanted We shook hands
with them and they departed ia good
spirits and wen pleased I kept faith
with these colored people When the
Legislature met in Guthrie, January
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