The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-07-03
l0MFTH|NG Of THE EARLY LIFE Of
LEE CRUCE, CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR

in 1901 he quit the practice OF the
law to take the position as cashier OF
the newly organized Ardmore National
Bank. which position he held for three
wears, when he was made the presi- |
dent, remaining at the head OF that
financial institution until last January,
when he resigned.
Contrary TO general belief, Lee CTuce .
is not an extremely wealthy man. Al
though at the head OF one OF the
strongest financial institutions in his
home city, he at no time has owned
more than seven or eight thousand |
dollars OF its stock and his property
accumulations are not sufficient to
class him as one of the capitalists OF
the state.
As the head OF his bank ne has, of
course, been placed in position TO
control large amounts OF capital, but II
has been largely used in the strength
enlng OF the institution itself, making
It a safe and conservative factor IN
the commercial interests of the city
and section in which it is located and
in building up the varied interests OF
the section that is part OF the sub
stantlal assets of Oklahoma as a
state. a place where people from al
over the worll can come and settle
with prospects of improving their for
tunes, making for themselves and
their posterity homes that will be an
enduring monument to the possibilities
of Oklahoma as a place to live.
There are of course many incidents
in the life OF man as prominent AS
| Lee Cruce has become, that can be
cited in positive testimony of his de-
votion to the business interests of the
section in which he lives. 1t has been
the aim of Lee Cruce to build up the
agricultural interests of his section
for he realizes that on the prosperity
/ of the farm. depends to great extent
the prosperity of the country. He has
always advocated the establishment OF
/ fair prices for farm products, he has
| at times used the money entrusted to
| his keeping for the purpose of bring
/ ing about n better market, a better
condition for the farmer As an in
stance of this. some years ago when
the price of cotton was low and the
producers were unable to get a fair
return for their labor and investments,
1t was suggested that the crop be held
by the farmers union until such time
as the market would advance and d
better price could be realized.
Lee Cruco through his institution
advanced the money that enabled the
farmers to do this and by the money
thus advanced the farmers We're en-
abled to hold their cotton and even
tually thousands of dollars were save!
them as a profit In the advance OF
prices that ensued. In fact 5000
bale more was realized than otherwise
would have been totally lost to the
raiser OF cotton and this money was
distributed among the producers OF
this section
! At another time, grain buyers were
paying In the Ardmore market 26
cents bushel for oats. This was
so low n price that the farmer realized
/ but little if anything from his efforts
and there seemed nothing in store for
them but to take their medicine" and
] submit to the dictation OF the buyers.
/ Unobtusively and with no stage #
/ feet Lee Cruce called a gentleman into
/ his Office and told him that this was
| a runous situation for the men of the
farm He told him to so out into the
market and bid the price of oats up to
figure that represented something
/ like their real value, that all the mon
ey necessary for the purpose would
he furnished by his bank. and in ac-
cordance with such Instructions the
gentleman commenced buying, run
ming the price of oats up to 80 cents,
which price was maintained and the
bulk of the crop was sold at that
figure. which again shows that the in
terest of the farmer was zealously
watched and guarded by Lee Cruce
and thousands OF dollars realized from
his crop that otherwise would have
been lost
These are incidents that have not
been advertised by Mr. Cruce, In fact
they have never been mentioned by
/ him. coming on, voluntarily from those
who We're cognizant OF the facts and
which are here used unbeknown to Mr
Cuce himself simply to show that he
I is at heart the champion of the farm
ers, and has exercised at all times
I lively interest in seeing that they were
.