The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-07-18
SENATOR BARRETT
AF TER MURRAY
RIDiCULES CoNGREssMAN's LEI
TER-WILL BE CANDIDATE FOR
MURRAY'S JOB.

Oklahoma City, July 17.--State
Senator C. F. Barrett of Shawnee,
while in Oklahoma City Tuesday in
the interest of private business, an
nounced his candidacy for the demo
cratic nomination for congressman IN
the fourth district, which embraces
the home of Congressman William II.
Murray. Senator Barrett Is the thiri
member Of the upper house OF the
legislature to announce his Intention
to run in that district, the other two
being Senator Reuben NJ. Roddle Of
Ada, and Senator c. c. Shaw OF
Johnston county. SO far as known,
these are the only candidates men
toned in that district, with the eN-
ception of Congressman Murray, who
has not yet made known definitely
whether he will be a candidate for
re- election to congress or some OTHER
office
Local politicians who have made a
careful study of Mr. Murrays re-
Gently published letter are of the
opinion that he will not be can
ddate for reelection to congress,
but instead will be a candidate for
governor or the United States senate.
In any event, Senator Barrett says
he is in the race to stay.
After reading Congressman Muir
rays letter." said Senator Barrett,
"in which he says 1t is easy for him
TO go to congress, | realize that the
race in our district will be between
the tortoise and the hare, and as
represent the tortoise will begin
early and keep plodding.
Outlook Does Not Discourage.
Il am not discouraged with Mr..
Murray's summary of the small ef-
feet new congressman has on legis-
lative matters in washington, since
am willing gto serve with the rank
and file. Mr.. Murray has not the pa
tience for that kind of employment.
From almost any angle that | look
upon Congressman Murray's letter I
find that it is one of the most re-
markable contributions to the polit-
ical history ov Oklahoma that was
ever indited.
at is a remarkable case Of self
confidence when even so distinguish
ed citizen as Mr.. Murray can flatter
himself into the belief that all he
has to do to be either a United
States senator, congressman or gov
ernor is to signify that he is willing
to accept the same. In fact, so GER
tain does he feel of the governor
ship that he feels inclined to refuse
the honor in advance unless he can
have the rather unusual privilege in
Oklahoma of selecting the attorney
general, state auditor, state examin-
er and inspector and other members
of his official cabinet.
"There must be something won
derfully poisonous in the political at
mosphere at Washington when six
months residence will so radically
change a modest, rational and some
times sensible statesman like William
H. Murray into the peevish and pes
simistic critic and extreme egotist
who wrote the Murray letter and
signed the name of Oklahoma's great
commoner to it.
ut has been one Of the besetting
sins. of every man elected to a state |
office in Oklahoma and particularly
the governors office that he be con-
tinually demanding of the legislature
and of the people that he be given !
more power and still more power,
but according to Murray's letter, the
Sage of Tishomingo "out- Herois"
them all. He begins the demand for
power before he even settles on a
choice Of which particular office he
will appropriate and wants the power
to name the whole ticket.
1T is far cry from that good old
doctrine which reverberated around
the chamber in which the constitution
was written of "let the people rule"
TO the autocratic and centralizing
wall that comes from Washington.