The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-08-21
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PRESS COMMENT.
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Sill still Eccentric

Bill stu Eccentric
tSouth McAlester News-CapitaD
A few years ago William H. Muir
ray formed the aspiration TO become
governor of this state, He also at
one time aspired to be chairman OF
;he Denver convention and at an.
other time expressed the wish that
he might preside as a second George
Washington over a convention to re-
lsamp the constitution of the United
States and make 1t more Alfalfa
;fllesque.
But these were fleeting aspirations,
| His one great ambition is TO be gov
ernor of this state.
His mild endeavors in this dlrec-
ton were set at naught in 1910 by
the activity of the friends of Lee
lCruce, some but not nearly all Of
whom have since regretted the job.
In the recent primary Murray was
nominated as congressman at large,
beating the alphabet to a frazzle.
( OF course congressman at large
generally will be curiosities, after
the first legislature gets bite at
the juicy Job of redistrctng the
state congressionally.
1t will be a scramble royal that
effort to carve cut eight districts TO
suit the personal ambitions of fifty
or so carvers.
The congressman at large will be
a lonesome creature. He won't be in
the legislature and his stock of NOR
al suasion will soon be exhausted on
the carvers.
But one would think that Bill Muir
ray might be able to win out in any
district they might carve about his
llaee, unless it was carved solely
against him personally and at the
peril of the general partisan advant-
ages hardly ever overlooked in re-
districting.
But here comes Bill with an inti-
nation that he regards his flattering
vote in the recent primary as a per-
sonal and political endorsement, in
stead of it being the intelligent ex-
preston of the people of the state
OF their belief in his exceptional fit
less for congressman
he even belittles the job of con-
gresham, dwelling on how an aris-
tocratic few rule the 500 members of
the house. He says that new mem
her can accomplish little. And he
winds up by stating that he wants
only one term.
Then he intimates that whether he
shall be active in state politics. (and /
he means by that running for gov
ernorl will depend altogether on
whether he leads the ticket. gets an
exceedingly large vote or whether he
tails the ticket.
SO he puts up to his enemies in
the Democratic party tremendous
inducement for them to scratch the
ticket for by voting against him they
will be merely expressing an opinion
that they do not care to have him as
gubernatorial candidate two years
hence
1t is doubtful whether a queerer
proposal was ever made by party
nominee The result will be watch
ed with interest 1t is very likely,
however, that nobody will pay any at
tention to it, in the excitement of the
general election, and Bills vote will
! e about the same as Weaver's and
Thompsons
But it illustrates not only Bits &C.
centricity but also his disregard OF
the ancient admonition to know him
self. Bill is not particularly fitted
for administrative Office. He demon
strated this on numerous OCCASIONS |
when presiding officer OF the consti |
tutional convention and of the First |
legislature. He has demonstrated it |
10 an observing man numerous other |
times in connection with his cam |
paign for various honors.
But it is believed that he is fitted |
for legislative work and that his real |
v orth would soon be recognized by |
his colleagues in the house, after he
got through showing off some of his
eccentricities.
And he received thousands of votes
for congress which he could never
Lope to get for governor