The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-10-25
GOV. CRUCE STANDS
ON ACHIEVEMENT
Defends Views on Capital Punishment
in Talk to churehmen-Race
Bets Condemned.

Guthrie, Okla, Oct. 17.-In address
ing the Oklahoma Methodist confer
ence, in session here, Governor Lee
Cruce tonight explained his position
on capital punishment, prohibition en-
forcement, prize fighting and race
track gambling. Defending his record
against capital punishment, he said:
IF have read the Bible correctly
| have found only two instances where
God has sat in Judgment on men.
"First-Where Cain slew Abel and
he was brought before the bar of Jus.
tice.
Second-When the woman was
brought before Christ and the multi.
tude said she should suffer death. You
remember what Christ said. Go and
sin no more Since | have been gov
ernor of Oklahoma have said to ten
condemned men: Your lives shall be
spared Eight more would have been
in eternity if | had not done so.
Last year there were 300 homicides
committee in Oklahoma. At least 200
were by either white men or Indians.
Not more than twenty-five were com
mitted by negroes. We will say that
seventy-two were committed by me-
groes and $50 by whites and Indians.
Now of the seventy7two committed by
negroes, seven of the people | said
should live were negroes and only one
was white. Seven of the twenty-five
were condemned to death.
No Racial Distinction.
Il say to you, no man is fit to be
governor of any state that when he
comes to administer justice will show
any distinction in race
There are certain laws that deal
with social conditions. The
law against prize fighting; against
and that of prohibition.
I'm regard to prize lighting, | have
been called upon to urge the adjutant
general to enforce those laws more
than any others. Some communities
seem to think they, should have what
they call an athletic club, hire a
trainer to come and train them in ath-
letics Finally they get to the point
where they want to see contest and
they send to Denver or Chicago for
some big thug to pound someone's
face black and blue and call is box
ing match. You call upon the sheriff
to do something in regard to it and
you will find him there occupying
complimentary seat.
Plenty of men think it right to have
We have the poorest laws
on gambling of any state in the Union.
You can bet all the money you have
0n horse races and no one seems to
see anything wrong about it. | attend
ed the race courses in Oklahoma City
last summer and also this fall. and
formed pretty good idea of the con-
iition in this state
Betting Condemned.
"This thing of betting on horse
races is the most demoralizing thing
n the world The boxes for betting
we're filled with the best women of our
state, and there were even boys in
short pants and girls in short dresses
am from Kentucky, and there is no !
me who enjoys good, old-fashioned |
lorse race more than |, but this thing
If betting should be stopped.
q say the man who conducts a
gambling house should be in the peni-
entiary.
In regard to prohibition, the laws
,annot be enforced by me alone. The
nen who have sworn that they would
enforce them do not enforce them If
here is a community in this state
where the laws of prohibition are not
,eing enforced it is because the Off
:ers in that community are not doing
heir duty.
Il make this promise to you that if
he legislature. when it convenes in /
anuary, will give me the enforcement
,ower we will have better enforce
nent or a great change inofficers.
But when the bootleggers of this
tate understand that, no matter who
hey elect, the governor can remove
lin the next day. it will put them out
# business"
Rural Carrier Examination.