The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-07-23
Governor Cruce
Scores Bob Williams


single engle. The governor oflthe state
from all angles and not make up his
mind as to what he viii do until he
has heard from both sides of the con-
troversy. Among other demands, the
Lessces' Union makes the following:
That improvements on state
land be appraised at sum as viii
add to the value OF the land. and
that anything that adds value to
the land bc' considered' am iiinprove-
ment."
This demand simply means that the
lcssces feel that in purchasing these
school lands when they are sold by the
state that the lessee should be given
the right to buy these lands at what
they are worth in their raw state al
the time they were taken possession Of
by the school land lessee. They hon
estly believe that this is fair to them
and fair to the state They argue
that it has been by their labor and
their effort that there has been an en-
hanccment of the value of the land,
and that all this enhancement Of value
should be placed upon the improve
ments upon. the land. They forget that
the thousands and tens of thousands
of other enterprising citizens Of this
state. in the development of cities and
farms, have added ten-fold more to the
intrinsic value of the land than the
lessees.
Without waiting for the people to
be heard from and without, so far as
| have been able to ascertain, advis-
ing the people of your action, you have
addressed a letter "To the School Land
Lessees of Oklahoma" in which you
state:
81 have answered satisfactorily
TO vour committee the six questions
propounded to me. ! believe that
your demands are reasonable and
lust. | believe that the school land
lessees of the state and their friends
ask only a square deal, and good
government"
My complaint is not that you have
pledged yourself to support the de
mands of the school land lessees in
the event you are elected governor, and
to use your power as governor to bring
about this sort of legislation, but 1t
is that you have not let the people OF
this state who do not believe in that
sort of legislation know your true po-
sition | may be mistaken, but do
not believe that twenty-five per cent of
the people of Oklahoma believe that
this demand Of the lessees should be
granted. -.
In order to pave the way for this
disposition of the school lands. OF Okla
homa, you have given ENCOURAGEMENT
and aid to a series of bitter, vicious,
and unwarranted attacks upon the
school land department, trying to Gre
ate the impression with the people OF
the state that all sorts of corruption.
graft and favoritism exists in that de
partment, thinking that by creating this
sentiment the people will turn to any
sort of solution to our landed difficult
ties and will be willing to sacrifice this
great heritage of the present and future
generation to the demands OF lew
| favored voters of Oklahoma who hive
upon these lands. ! believe, and every
| fair-minded man believes, that just and
generous treatment should be extended
to these lessees, but ! do not beli>ve
lthat the interests of the state and OF
the school children should be ruthlessly
sacrificed If | had no other cause
for opposing your candidacy, this one
act of yours would be sufficient reason
for opposition.
Therefore, my opposition 10 your
lcandidacy has its basis in the fact that
we do not agree upon the fundamen-
falls of good government. | believe IN
the passage and rigid enforcement Of
all those laws that tend to better NOR
ais and a higher degree of citizenship.
I do not believe that good govern
ment is possible where the sole pur-
pose of public officials is to look after
the financial affairs of the people and
neglect their intellectual and moral
laws. | believe that human character
lis infinitely more valuable than all the
dollars that were ever coined. To ae-
centuate this idea in government, | have
toiled for three and one-half years. !
have endured the harsh criticism and
the violent attacks of those who do not
believe in this type of government. D.!
have been dcnominated an autocrat and
a usurper of power. / have been eaiieq
la tyrant and spineless imbeclle l
. have had every sort OF abuse heapeu
upon me that cruel minds and vicious
hearts could invent. | have met with
coercion, political and otherwise, but
with a hrm reliance 1T tne buu WINS.
aid | invoked when | took the oath
of Office, and with an abiding trust In
the fairness of the good people OF Ok
lahoma, l have gone forward IN the
discharge of my duty.
You make your insinuating charges
against my official conduct without spe-
lcifying. II had to live over the three
! and one-hah years that have passed
since have been governor, in the light
of the experience that | have enjoyed:
there are but few changes that | would
make. stand ready to defend every
official act of mine since have been
governor, save the acts in the appoint
ment of some ungrateful men to Of
fee, whose conduct after appointment
has proven a grievous disappointment /;
and now, that you may be given an
opportunity to show to the people OF
this state in fair way my official
shortcomings, / make you this pronosf-
ton: That / will meet you in joint dis
cussion, at any place and time you may
name i'm this state Won giving me as