The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-07-16
Sh0wnee Herald, Personal Organ for Leslie P
Ross, Throws up Sponge and Admits Defeat
for Lawton's Guberaatorial Candidate
Will now Urge Friends of Ross to Get
Behind Lee Cruce. Declares Mu-
rays Campaign has Already
Proved Failure

like speech which he has made in
many places this year. and which is
probably the finest political speech
being delivered by any candidate in the
state during this campaign, he per-
mitted his temper and his autocratic
spirit to dominate him to an extent
which rather alienated many old ones.
The general opinion of conservative
people is that any man who aspires to
be governor of great state like Ok
lahoma should have sufficient poise
and self control to avoid the scenes
which Mr.. Murray caused during these
debates, and the Incorporate language
he frequently used 1t is certain that
Isuch poise and self control will be
needed II he becomes governor. 1t is
doubtful as matter of fact, whether
Murray is not weaker in the state to-
day than he was ten days ago.
~On the issues Mr.. Afurray's cam
lpaign has to date not been a success.
His chief point Of attack has been the
,Torrens land system. and he has been
lentirely unable 10 arouse any general
Interest in it. SO far as can be ascer-
|tained, his strength win be for the
|most part among the radical farmers,
especially In the southeast part OF the
state. whatever votes can be obtain
led by his personal friends among the
membership of the constitutional con
ventfon and the first legislature, and
as the Ross strength diminishes. the
|anti-Haskell element, He continues to-
be hampered by the general feeling
THAT the financial condition of the
state demands conservative man as
governor, one who is able to work out
successfully the many difficult finan.
cial problems which face The next ad.
ministration. and the feeling, just as
general, and accentuated by the events
of the recent debates, that he Is not
such a man. His unquestioned hon
esty, his courage and determination
will hold for him a great many votes.
and his personal friends, who cling.
to him with a devotion unsurpassed
BY that developed by any other poll
tfcians will undoubtedly hold him many
more, but as the final event ap-
proaches. and the very great import
! ance of the proper choice in the mat.
ter becomes clearer to the voters, the
current is practically certain to turn
from him.y
$50 far as anyone can tell. the con-
test at this stage looks altogether like
Cruce to win. He has the better of
the argument on the Indian tax aues-
ton, which has grown into the most
important issue so far developed, out
side of the prohibition question, and
on the basis of general qualification
for the Office Of governor, from the
business, the social ard general adj
ministrative standpoints, has too great
lead to be overcome A great many
people want governor of whom they
do not need to be ashamed when com
pared with the chief executives Of
other states, in social way as we'll
as others, and this idea is distinctly
to Cruces advantage He also has
the decided advantage that he has CON
sistently defended the democratic ad-
ministration This may not be justi-
fed In all cases, suit from political
standpoint 1t is decidedly valuable.
Even those who believe that the de-
velopment Of the power of the execu-
tive in this state has reached dan
gerous point, and who think that in
some instances the work of various
officers could have been better done.
cannot avoid feeling of inappropri.
ateness in the failure of any candidate
to approve the work as whole of the
party whose nomination he is seeking.
II was the fact that while the other
candidates were abusing him and each
other and the state administration in
general, Mr.. Cruce gave his attention
to the discussion Of the good points
of an administration unquestionabIy
successful on the whole, which give
him undoubtedly the best Of the meet
ings."