The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1912-03-08
WOODROW WILSON'S
BOOKS ARE OPEN

Washington. d. c., March 7--Just
back from Oklahoma, where the friends
of Governor Woodrow Wilson won a
decisive victory in the democratic
state convention that elected delegates
to the Baltimore convention, Senator
Thomas P. Gore who led the Wilson
fight in that state today issued state
ment, in which he punetures the charge
made by the Clark headquarters that
money influenced the result.
The choice of our people for the
presidency is not for SALE" is one of
the sharp comments of the blind SEN
ator in speaking of the widely cir
culated charge, and he added by way
of challenge, Wilson's books are
open; l trust their books are open.
: After telling of the determined ef-
fort of the friends of the speaker to
get the solid delegation from Oklaho-
ma, where there are 100000 resident
Missourians, Senator Gore makes it
plain that the sentiment in behalf Of
Governor Wilson in Oklahoma was in
great measure spontaneous and that
his victory was due to the faculty
which he has of appealing to the popu
lar heart and imagination
Il may add" continued Senator
Gore, that the people of Oklahoma
were not unaffected by the fact that
western man is running against Will
son in the west, southern man rum
ming against him in the south, and a
northern man running against him in
the north. They were unwilling to
suppose or suspect a triple alliance,
but they know that if anything should
happen hereafter which savored of
such an alliance it would tend rather
to hinder than to insure united de-
mocracy and to dim rather than to
brighten the prospects of splendid
democratic triumph in November next
Senator Gore in his statement issued
last night said:
Il can not disguise my satisfaction
over the results of the recent state
convention in Oklahoma, The plan to
divide the delegation between Clark
and Wilson was worked out before
left Washington The Clark delegates
are instructed to come to Wilson when
fboxy Iaova N1arlz ond xrioa voreo u,bsc
was all lever desired 1t was design
ed to maintain harmony among the
democrats of Oklahoma. We had no
disposition to make any direct slap at
the speaker. The Wilson men con-
trolied the committee on resolutions of
the convention. The majority report
recommended the divided delegation in
pursuance of our plan. Aa enthusias-
tic friend of the speaker brought In d
minority report instructing delegates
to vote for Clark This raised the
issue squarely and it was squarely
met The minority report was voted
down by a majority of twenty-nine.
may add that Wilson lost two counties
by one vote each, one county by two
votes, three counties by three votes
and two counties by four votes each
1T is interesting to read the cx-
plantations which have not explained
the outcome of the Oklahoma conven.
ton. Of course, there were local diff
fererces in the way of carrying the
STATE for Wilson. 1t was pre-empted
Clark territory. Oklahoma joins Mis-
souri, There are several hundred thoa-
sand Missourians living in the state
Many of them are loyal democrats.
many of them loyal supporters of the
speaker. On the seventh of October
last the state committee ordered our
state convention for February twenty
second. 1t was a Clark coup, done by
the speakers friends for the speakers
benefit. | favored a later date Dur
ing the holidays the speaker delivered
seven of his characteristic speeches in
Oklahoma This famed the fervor of
his friends. AS late as the middle of
January the situation was SO desper-
ate that Wilson's manager refused to
permit the governor to visit Oklahoma
and deliver an address the first week
in February. His theory was that to
lose the state so soon after the visit
would cause a reaction and have a
damaging effect in other states. Thus
promising was the prospect for VIII
son one month before the Oklahoma
convention.
Almost every sinew known to polit-
ical warfare was employed in the
speakers behalf Several parties
went to and fro in the state canvass
ing for him constantly The state was
sowed down with anonymous circulars
assailing the record and writings Of
Governor Wilson His record was
thoroughly ventilated, and, | may add,
thoroughly vindicated by our conven-
ton. declared fro mthe beginning
that no one could tortue me into say