The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-10-18
GOV. CRUCE STANDS
ON ACHIEVEMENT
Defends Views on Capital Punishment
in Talk to churchmen-Raee
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 l have said to ten
condemned men: Your lives shall be
spared Eight more would have been
in eternity if l had not done so.
Last year there were 222 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 ne
groes and $50 by whites and Indians.
Now of the seyenty-two 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.
81 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
primarily with social conditions. The
law against prize fighting; against
gambling; and that of prohibition.
I'm regard to prize fighting, I 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 a
complimentary seat.
Plenty of men think it right to have
gambling. We have the poorest laws
ON gambling of any state in the Union.
You can bet all the money you have
on 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 a pretty good idea Of the con.
dition in this state.
Betting Condemned.
"This thing of betting on horse
races is the most demoralizing thing
in the world. > The boxes for betting
were 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
one who enjoys good, old-fashioned
horse race more than |, but this thing
of betting should be stopped.
Il say the man who conducts a
gambling house should be in the peni
tentiary.
'9In regard to prohibition, the laws
cannot be enforced by me alone. The
men who have sworn that they would
enforce them do not enforce them. II
there is a community in this state
where the laws of prohibition are not
being enforced it is because the off
GERS in that community are not doing
their duty.
81 make this promise to you that il
the legislature, when it convenes in