The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1911-07-06
COL, STUMP ASHbY
WILL SPEAK TONIGHT
ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN ORA
TORS IN THE STATE WILL AD.
DRESS THE PEOPLE TONIGHT.

lnere Is good treat III store 10Y
those who delight in the original in
public speakers tonight at the corner
OF Washington and main street where
II. 5. b. Stump Ashby is billed to
address the citizens of this city. Now
/ just what his subject will be tonight
/ has not been announced in fact. as It
has often been remarkedo othere\ is
little use for a subject when Col Ash
! by gets up to make a few remarks.
There is perhaps not in the entire
state a better known character than
Stump Ashby or in the southwest for
that matter. He has had rather a
meteoric career in the fields of relig-
/ ion and politics. He started as Il
/ preacher, but that became too prosy
and then he tackled politics and for a
time the welkin rang with the echoes
OF his oratory defending the princi-
pies of his party. 1t has been said
that his party at this time was the
one that has graduated some good
men into the ranks of the democratic
party and at least one from this neck
o. the moral vineyard into the United
States senate-namely, the populistic
party, but be that as it may, there is
little need to be said on that score,
Whatever the party might have been
or whever Stump happened to be, it
is safe bet that he delivered the
goods. This much he will admit, but
it. is not for publication. that he may
have been pop" in days gone by,
he is now an Andy Jackson democrat.
and his Stats are all hickory. and
raises his voice in daily supplication
to the most high that no matter what
his other offenses might have been,
he has never been accused of being A
republican or a "prohi,' although he
was and is a firm believer in temper
ance.
Being dissatisfied with Texas and
the treatment that an ungrateful CON
stituency demonstrate he like 9th
ers. came to what was then the terri.
tory Of Oklahoma. or rather that por-
ton of Oklahoma known at that time
as the Indian Territory Shortly af
ter his arrival the people began clam
oring to be admitted to the union as
state. Not the least of these clam
orers was the irrepressible Stump"
who took up the battle for statehood
and carried on tho war until such
time when an unrighteous republican
machine at Washington thought there
was more than chance. aye, even n
cinch TO bring into the union another
state that could be added to the re.
publican column, and handed us the
enabling act whereby we might be-
come one of them on certain condi-
tons.
Ashby got busy the first thing and
had himself sent as a delegate to the
constitutional convention and right
there was where he began to be recoe
nized as a power. He fought and bat. |
tied, argued and prayed for what he
thought was for the best interest of
the people and when the constitution
was finally adopted there were more
than one line where the fine Italian
hand of Stump Ashby was traceable.
He did so well in the convention the
people of Johnston county decided
they wanted him to represent them in
the first legislature so by a vote that
staggered his nearest opponent he was
elected TO help make laws for the
state. He introduced many bills at
the first session. and to show that he I
is poss essed of a tender heart took !
notice of even the ugly toad frog. hav-
ing in mind no doubt what was writ
about the sparrow that falleth, but be
that as it may he made a good mem
Der and did much for the people who
sent him there.
Shortly after the first session of the
legislature closed he moved to the
twenty-fourth district, and thought
that in the seclusion of Antlers he
would be lost to the world of politics
and devote the remainder of his life
to quiet philanthropy and the pursuit
of happiness. Not for stump" nay, .
nay. His fame had percolated even TO /
that remote region and the populists
no, no,-I mean the populace, arose
as one man and demanded that he
do another turn in the state legisla
ture. 1t was another case of Caesar
and the crown. He refused the honor
many times, but finally the pressure
ebcame so great that at great per
sonal sacrifice he consented to be-
come the Moses to lead them once
more.
He made even bigger hit in the