The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-03

If the character Of the Hon
Lee Cruce. candidate for the democrat
lc nomination for governor, the story
of his life, plainly told, what his home
people think of him as a man. as
citizen and as a candidate for the OIL
tice to which he aspires.
Without detracting in any way from
the merits of the other gentlemen
who are in the field, without asking
for fayors, that under other circum'
stances we would Withhold from others,
we feel that our undivided allegiance
is due to Lee Cruce and that IN con
sideration of his candidacy being urged
nv many of the leading democrats ol
the state. in view of his past record
of his loyalty and consistent support
of his party and more particularly ms
eminent fitness for the Office, he is en-
titled to the support of the democrats
of oklahoma and that such confidence
will in no sense be misplaced.
The story OF Lee Cruces life IS
the story of a man who lays no claim
TO the honor of birth, the heritage oI
wealth, the assumption Of superiority
over his fellowmen nor does he assume
20 be the only man fitted for the dl-
ties Of the office OF governor by reason
of superior ability.
He is just a common, PLAIN man.
who has grown from year to year INTO
progressive things, that have htted
him by mind and temperament TO
transact such business as fell to ms
share in the labor of life, with careful
consideration for the results, and Tor
its effects upon the relations OF HE.
He is not a politician nor ever mas
been such, barring his two campaigns
for governor he has never been an
office seeker in any sense of the term'
He was born on farm In Critten-
den County. Kentucky, July Sth, 1865
He passed his boyhood and early man
hood days in the hard work that Is
attendant on a farmer boys lie ana
his early life. until after he had at
tained his majority. was the life OF al
most every farm boy whose parents
were in moderate circumstances, and
who have to dig for all they get that
Is worth while.
Lees father died when he was sew
en- years old, leaving wife and Sin
sons. all of them little fellows at the
time, but all of them of sturdy stock
and all of them but one are living in
the city of Ardmore today.
The early years of Lee Cruce were
probably in no sense different than
those of thousands of boys placed in
the same situation throughout the state
of Oklahoma today. boys whose eXper'
ience is the same as was that OF Lee
Cruce, until after he left the old farm
and parental roof, equipped with a
knowledge that comes from life on a
farm, that can be acquired in no other
manner and that serves so well in
after years for every vocation in which
a man may engage when he goes out
into the world. away from home and
old associations.
1t is schooling that is valuable.
n training OF body and mind that pre-
pares a boy for accomplishment, and
teaches him self reliance, persever-
ence aud attention to duty
This is the way Lee Cruce grew up.
he was a clean boy, contracted no
bad habits. kept his mind and body
free from dssipating influences, this
is the story of most boys who are
reared on the farm. the story OF the
common boy who grows up and be.
comes Just a common man.
Lee Cruce grew this way, grew from
a common boy into just a common
man who had no gradiloquent ideas of
his own greatness, who simply did
things as they came to him and did
them well. who performed every task
with patience and care and had the
satisfaction OF knowing that what he
did was done with a view to its last
ing qualities, its perfect fitting into
the place for which it was intended.
During the days on the farm he ac-
quired his early education, attending
the schools of the county at such
times as his work on the place gave
him an opportunity.
After leaving the old home he spent
some time in perfecting that educa-
ton. studied law. was admitted to the
bar at Marion. the county seat OF his
home county, and soon after came
west. locating in Ardmore in what was
then Indian Territory, and joined the
law firm OF his brother under the
firm name of Johnson, Cruce and
Cruce, and was soon launched on his