Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-18
OUTLINES HIS PLANS
Gov. Cruce of Oklahoma Dis
cusses State Policy.
ECONOMY CHIEF FEATURE
Reduction in Offices Created Under
Previous Administration.
AFFAIRS ON BUSINESS BASIS
and Other Corporations En-
couraged to Introduce Industries.
Men and Money Wanted.
ECONOMY CHIEF FEATURE
AFFAIRS ON BUSINESS BASIS

Men and Money Wanted.
By WILLIAM z. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence OF The Star and the
Chicago Record Herald.
OKLAHOMA CITY, March s. 191i
Lee Cruce. the resent Governor Of
Oklahoma, is not a politician, nor a pro-
moter. nor populist. nor a crank He
is a broad-minded. practical, conservative
business man without political ambition
or speculative schemes. He is Ken
tuckian by birth, but since he was six
teen has lived at Ardmore, a thriving cat
tie and cotton market in the southern part
of what was formerly Indian Territory.
For the last fifteen years he has been
president of a national bank Every one
with whom I discussed the governor laid
emphasis upon the fact that he is a
national banker there being a sisnif-
cant distinction between bankers in this
country. Some people are opposed to ma
tional banks, and some conduct a bank
Ing business with long risks that are not
subject to government inspection or con-
troll.
Cruce was elected governor last Novem-
Der. took his seat January I, delivered
a conservative and sensible inaugural ad-
dress and sent a modest message to the
legislature in which he suggested certain
changes in the constitution and laws
which are now being considered by that
body. He has recommended the repeal
of several pet projects Of his predecessor,
Gov. Haskell
AS Cruce was nominated democratic
candidate for Governor Of Oklahoma by
the Haskell machine. it was naturally as
sumed that he was Haskell man, and
would carry on the same policies as his
predecessor. but in this respect he has
surprised one faction of the party and
disappointed another by his independence
and conservatism and the sensible meas
ures he has undertaken. He has been
very Independent, has demonstrated that
he is nobody's tool or instrument, that he
has no desire to be a boss, and at the
same time that he recognizes no overload
/ was told that his relations with Haskell
are strained, but not broken
Business Comes First.
Cruce is trying to give the state q
business administration. His purpose
seems to be economy, the curtailment OF
state expenses and a reduction in the
number of offices which Haskell created
for his supporters and for building up
machine. Cruce has already turned out
has recommended the abolition of many
offices, and his appointments have been
business men instead Of politicians.
He is a tall, slender man Of the Ken
lucky type; always wears a frOck coat
and white linen tie: looks more like a
clergyman than a banker; is prominent In
the Presbyterian Church. Is a prohibition
list by practice as we'll as preaching and IS
SO highly esteemed In his own city OF
Ardmore that only three votes were cast
against him there at the late election.
When Gov. Cruce was reminded that
there is a general impression throughout
the astenr and central parts of the coun-
try that Oklahoma is a crank state and
an undesirable place for the investment Of
capital because Of the unfriendly dispo-
sition OF the legislature and the admin
istration. he said:
That impression is due to the fact that
several freak laws enacted by our legis-
lature. and other incidents. have been
widely advertised, while the sensible
things that have been done have received
no attention. The newspapers have COM
mented extensively upon the law requir-
ing hotel keepers to provide their guests
with sheets nine feet long. but have not
given us credit for a good deal of sane
and practical legislation
Queer Things Most Attractive.
The queer things that people do al
ways attract the most attention, but you
may say that we are starting out In
new administration without any idiosyn-
crasies and are going to correct as many
mistakes as we can, and try to restore
the credit Of Oklahoma with the rest OF
the nation. For example, the legislature
passed a law yesterday to submit to q
vote of the people an amendment repeal
Ing section . OF article . OF our
constitution. which prohibits one railway
from buying or leasing another and pre-
vents foreign corporations from doing
business here without a state charter.
1t has been widely represented that this
prohibition stood In the way Of our ex
pansion, and that 1t has prevented the
extension of our transportation lines.
In June last year the people voted on
this question, but 1t was defeated because
Of other Objectionable propositions that
again In November and there was a de-
cided majority in favor Of the repeal.
but the constitution requires majority
OF all the votes cast and not more than
half of the people voting paid any atten-
ton to the constitutional ballot. Now II
will be submitted third time. at spe-
cial election. with some other equally
important amendments to the const1tu-
ton. and l think there Is no question as
TO the resalt. The original resolution
fixed April Is as the day Of the cleo
ton. That has been changed SO as to
give the governor the authority to select
the date, and l will call for an election
as soon as practicable.
Governor States His Position.
II am In favor Of striking out that
prohibition and giving railways and other
foreign corporations the widest reason
able opportunities to build new lines and
introduce new industries, and Of inviting
men and money from other sections to
come here and help US build up this
state.
What will be the effect?"
Il am no prophet and cannot say.
but we are going to take the railways
and other corporate interests at their
word and give them an opportunity to
demonstrate whether they are sincere or
not"
What other amendments to the consti-
tuition are to be submitted?"
I'VE want to change the method OF
handling our educational funds. Under
the constitution they must be distributed
pro rata among the counties according
to the school population. which Is an in
justice to the thinly settled aud poorer
communities. which need more money