Valdez daily prospector., 1914-01-28

Man Who Was a Train Robber Sym
 pathizes With First Offenders-Ex.
 plains Why He Quit Life of Crime
 and Scores Respected Rogues Less Crude Than He Was.
 i Al j. Jennings. extrain roDUer aud l federal prisoner. who won the Demo- cratic nomination for county attorney 1 Of Oklahoma county. Okla. in 1912, is about to announce his candidacy for the governorship of the state of Okla holna
 "I am entering the race" said Mir Jennings in New York recently, "as d Democrat. Many of my friends have urged me to seek an independent non,- ination, but l have always been a Democrat. My object is to clean up the party in Oklahoma. 1 intend to fight double dealing. political thieves, with whom no self respecting outlaw of former years can associate.
 All 1 want is to see absolutely hon est men at the head of the government. and after have announced my candi- dacy if some man whose integrity and uprightness are unquestioned becomes a candidate shall withdraw and sup port him with all of my ability.
 Why Jennings Reformed.
 Some people do not seem to be able to understand how an outlaw. an ex- train robber and federal prisoner can become sincerely law abiding and re former in politics. but the explanation is simple made a mistake and de fled the law. l was caught and pun isled-kept five years in prison-and then saw how l had been wrong to be come an enemy of society, l decided to reclaim my place in society and set about doing it. AS soon as 1 became free man. living in a free community. began to appreciate the differences in lnwbreaking and the consequences thereof. ana that made lne political reformcr
 Il had been q train rUbber. a crude. open defer of society. aud had been caught and punished 1 saw all about me men who wore the best clothes and stood high in society robbing the peo pie right and left and not getting caught or being punished. They were not as primitive as had been in the method they chose. They did things in the dark and only appeared in the open when they had on their Sunday clothes. so to speak"
 Mr. Jennings says he will carry on the same kind of aggressive. personal campaign, for the subernatorinI nom inntion as he carried on for the coun ty attorneyshp He claims he has TO money behind him and wilt not be ;hle to establish headquarters
 "i will stump the state he said. 'and speak from the street corners and llliIS wherever can"
 Mr. Jennings said that if hr is elect ed governor he will make it his chief object to enforce the law without re sIet to persons. hut that from lessons derived during his own prison expert enre he will also apply himself to pris on reform in Okla homa.
 Pledges Aid to First Offenders.
 "l favor the adoption of reforma- tory parole system.' he said. "hy which first offenders can be given chance to redeem themselves. think that a young man who is convicted for the first time should be allowed to stay at home and work under the watchfu eye of the state instead of being locked up in n prison where, in all proba bility he win be made confirmed criminal There will he no wholesale release Of prisoners If 1 becOnie governor. but 1 will exercise the power of pardon and parole with the view of reclailning tor sMiety every man can As long as there is Il chance of making good citizen "f n man we sh"un try to dU so
 Jennings was train r"hDH iu Ok lahOna and the southwest for several years before his tnal capture in lS97 and subsequent conviction in a federal court He served q few years in the prison at Columbus. O.. before being lmrdoned by President Mckinley. His citizenship was later restored by Pres ident Roosevelt. and he began the prac ti,e of law in Oklahoma City. In 1912 he ran for the Democratic nomination as county attorney of Oklahoma roun ty against six other candidates Re fore the primaries five of the randi dates withdrew to concentrate the vote against him. but :n spite of this he ob- tained the nomination. At the general election he was defeated hy narrow margin by a Republican who was sup ported by both the Republican and Democratic organizations
 Daniels Lauds Naval Heroes.