The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-31

Oklahoma City,
Dear Sir
As a ministerial member Of the Ok
lahoma Annual Conference of the
Methods, Episcopal Church South,
and as citizen of the state, pledged
to the support of every movement for
its moral uplift, ! have ever fet a
deep interest in the work of the Anti
Saloon League. And though, to speah
with perfect candor, | have long been
convinced that the managers of the
leagues work in this state are ineffi-
cient and impractical men, | have
still sought to be a loyal advocate OF
the movement But since considering
carefully your action in endorsing
William II. Murray for governor in
opposition to Lee CruCe. / am con
vinced that your bungling has gone so
far that endurance ceases to he a vir-
ture, and | write to advise you that
like many other preachers of various
denominations, with whom ! have talk
ed since the announcement of YOUR en-
dOrsemert, | feel that ] am no longer
bound to cooperate with the league in
its work, and that for me to do so
would be rather detrimental than 9th
erwise to the cause Of prohibition in
Oklahoma. In taking such a position,
feel called upon to give some reasons
for my view of your action, and it
seems to me that the reasons which
justification Of my attitude in the mat
ter.
l. In the first place, You have en-
dorsed one candidate who favors state
wide prohibition against another who
also stands committed to this law and
Its enforcement. If the two men, Mr..
Murray and Mr.. Cruce, were equals in
point of integrity, moral character,
and devotion to the cause of right
eousress, such an action as you have
taken would be objectionable; but
they are not equals, and you have en-
GOrsed the less worthy of the two.
From the heading of this communal
tion, you will observe that | am now
a visitor in Mr. Murray's own home
county. Some OF the people here have
assured me that he is man who is
said to be occasionally Intoxicated,
that he is profane in his language,
and is identified with no religious or
sanitation. A number of men who are
known in Mill Creek to stand for the
highest moral and ethical ideals have
recently deserted the standard of Mr..
Murray and announced their advocacy
OF Cruces candidacy because of the
formers laXity in ethical standards.
Mr.. Cruce. on the other hand, has
been among my personal acquaint-
ances since my boyhood, and know
him to be a man of unquestioned vir-
tue and sobriety, as blameless and
guleless as q woman in public a
dress and private conversation, and a
consistent member of the Presbyter-
ian church. He is thus identified with
every righteous cause, and is an ideal
moral example for the youth of his
home city. In view of these facts, it
seems to me not only mistake, but
veritable crime. for such an organiza-
ton as the Anti-Saloon League to
sanction Murrays candidacy against
that of Lee Oruce.
2. Again, the reason which you give
for your preference is inadequate and
unconvincing. You profess to favor
Mr.. Murray because he promises that
he will not resubmit the prohibition
issue unless compelled to do so by the
highest courts of the land, while Mr..
Cruce declares that he viii resubmit
the question if legally petitioned to do
SO. ! Ou must l'lAlH' AAitA1 hiAN iA'A'N-
outcome of tLis matter rests with the
courts. If the twenty-one year clause
is not binding, then the governor can
be compelled to call the election on
this issue: and if, on the other hand,
the twenty-one year clause is binding,
the courts can prevent the repeal OF
the law even though the peop,e voted
at the polls to annul it by an over
whelming majority. Consequently, the
final result must be the same, mater
not which of the two men is elected,
for the ultimate decision rests, not
with the governor, but with the courts.
3. It is not. as has been asserted,
necessary for you to give your endorse
ment to one of the prohibition candi-
dates in order TO prevent the election
of an anti; for it is universally con-
ceded that Ross election is not re-
mote possibility, and that the race lies