The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-08-04
JUDGE MASON AT AlRDOME
Scores Telling Points in His Address
LARGE Audience ApPlauds.


Larae Audience Applauds.
Judge l. X. Mason, one of the lead
ing candidates for the office of judge
of the county court OF TINS county
spoke to large and appreciatlve
audience at the Airdome last night.
The Judge outlined his position III
a clear and forceful manner and
made a number of strong and telling
points in behalf of his candidacy.
He said in part:
1T is high time that we were look
ing upon our public officials as pub
lie servants and demanding of them
that they give us the same loyal
service. looking to the interests OF
the department in which they are
employed, as we do from our clerks,
farm hands and other employees, in
the various walks of life and when
we shall do SO We will begin TO
| realize that a public office is not
to be had as a gift or reward but
for fitness to do and perform the
work required from the position.
I'VE should demand and expect
| that where an office could be made
| self supporting that it should be
/ conducted in just that way and if
We get an incompetent man that
could not do the work and make good
| then we should have some way to
! replace him by another and if We
not before election day at least upon
/ that day.
The county judges office of this
| county should pay its own way and
/ did so during the first term after
statehood and placed $4,000 in the
county treasurers office, and | can
make the office self-supporting and
will do 50 if entrusted with the po-
sition and thus save a large sum to
the taxpayers.
The supreme court has ruled that
Indian allotments while in the names
of the original allottees are
not taxable for 21 years. | do not
want any Indian to sell any lands
that he can personally improve,
that are any portion OF his allot-
ment, but 80 per cent of the Indians
are not able to improve, and there
fore, for the benefit of the whole
eastern portion of the state, and in
improved, and go on the tax lists,
| stand, if elected, for the sale OF
every acre of land that can be legally
offered through the county court and
will proceed legally to sell every
acre of such land, and thereby reduce
our taxes just in proportion to such
sales and | will sell said lands with
out the personal interference of the
Indian department of the govern
ment, believing that we have been
held long enough under the iron hand
of the interior department.
Il will, If elected decide all legal
questions and act upon all matters
presented to me without taking every
thing under advisement and thus
delaying justice.
Il do not believe that official pref
ernment should be given be-
cause of the personal debauchment
of any individual and reformation
theretrom, and it will be a sad
day in the history of our county
and our state, when we hold out TO
the coming generations that political
preierment is to be had only after
we have gone to the depths and come
! back, no matter how sincere We may
be in our debauchery or insincere in
our reform. Let the man show by
| a long and useful life that he comes
back from high desires of life and
living and then ask for political pref
erment upon merit and not from
former acts or reformations.
II believe that political preferment
should come to the citizens of our
state that have been with us from
the very first and have stood identi-
fled with every forward movement
and not to one that has just come
to our borders and that for the avow-
ed purpose of seeking office.
Il cast my lot with you more than
Il years ago and have lived under
the same roof nearly all that time. f,
| have tried to make my life an open
book. | can and will make you a
good public officer and ! ask your
support upon merit alone