The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-07-29
GOVERNOR ASKS
LEGISLATURE IN
ACCORD WITH HIM
In Open Letter, He Urges Voters to
Select Men Of Ability--Economy
is Needed.

voters of the state. Governor Lee
Cruce asks that candidates for the
legislature be selected who will be in
accord with the expressed economy
ideas of the administration, declaring
that the threat has been made openly
by politicians that they expect to or
ganize the next legislature in opposi-
ton to the governor in order to pass
appropriation bills over his veto.
He declares that he fayors bill
reducing the legal tax limit, and bills
eliminating and consolidating various
state, county and local Offices, and that
IL given a legislature in sympathy with
these ideas, that he will see that such
legislation is passed. He urges the
voters to study carefully the list Of
candidates before casting their ballots
at the primary, and to select only men
who are honest and who stand for
real economy. The letter follows:
Governors Letter.
"To the Democratic Voters of Okla
homa:
"The primary election to be held
on the 9th day of August probably is
more important to the citizens and
taxpayers of Oklahoma than is the
general election which will follow on
the 5th day OF November. In the pri-
mary election the various political
parties of the state will go through
the wedding out process among the
candidates, and the type of men who
will be elected at the November cleo
ton to fill the various offices in the
state will be determined at this elec
tion. If anything can be said or done
by any citizen of this state to arouse
the voting population to sense Of
its public duty, and cause it to re-
feet upon the importance of this cleo
tion, it should be done.
while my appeal is made to the
democrats of this state, it is impor-
tant that men. of all parties should be
interested in this matter and cast
their ballot in the primary election in
the interest of honest and efficient
government. | feel, however. that
have special right as a member Of
the democratic party of Oklahoma to
give voice to my convictions in mat
ters OF this kind, and to let the public
know that am interested.
Il have scrupulously avoided taking
any active part in the pending con-
troversy between democratic aspirants
to official position; have never pub
licly or privately expressed prefer
ence between candidates. ! feel that
it would be unfair for me, as the gov
ernor of the state, however much |
might desire to do so, as a private
citizen, to become involved in this
controversy. 1t is almost impossible
for the individual to be separated from
the office, and ] have ever opposed the
idea of men holding high official posi-
tions under the electorate of the state,
undertaking, either directly or in
directly, to use that public trust to
further the interest of any friend or
partisan in political campaign.
Retrenchment Needed.
There is much being said in this
state about retrenchment and reform.
Taxpayers of every political per-
suasion are seeking some relief from
the existing burdens of taxation. No
one has appreciated more fully than
| the fact that the people of Oklahoma
are thus burdened and no one has
more earnestly desired that this bur-
den might be lightened and every pos
sible extravaganza in government be
eliminated l would call the attention
of the voters to the fact, however
that there will be no real, substantial
and abiding reforms in government Of
any community or state; neither will
effective economy be brought to pass
until each individual voter realizes
that he has a duty to perform and
faithfully performs that duty at the
ballot box. The governor of the state
is practically impotent in bringing to
pass this desired economy unless he
has the support, not only of the tax
payers of the state, but members of
the legislature as well.
"As governor of the state ! have
not the power to abolish a single cleo
tive office,-state county or district,
and my power to deal with appointive
officers is limited to those coming inn
medjateiy under my department