The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-06-21
KEY STRIKES BACK
At OPPOSITION
DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE FOR At
ToRNEY GENERAL RESENTS At
TACK.
Declares Charges of Demagoguery is
Outgrowth of Refusal to Make Con-
cession-Flays Coal, Oil and Graft
er Opposition.
To the Voters of Oklahoma:

/ 7 o the voters OF Oklahoma:
In a recent speech | said that there
existed an interlocking system of stock
holders and interests between rail
roads and coal mine operators, and
that by the manipulation of transpor'
tation facilities and the pooling OF
distribution agencies, competition is
eliminated and the price of coal in
Oklahoma arbitrarily fixed upon the
! basis of Colorado and New Mexico
competition and the accessibility of
gas and other fuels, and that, if elect
ed, intended to break up this monopo-
ly, if it is within the power of the
attorney generals office to do so. If
not, | will rely on the legislature to so
amend the laws of Oklahoma as tC
make it possible.
The McAlester News-Capital, owned
and controlled by the coal interests,
classes me as "demagogue" because
of this statement Private letters from
the coal interests notify me that :
have made a serious mistake, for all
of which cheerfully assume RESPONSE
bility.
am also hearing from the Standard
Oil interests. | said that gasoline wa
selling in Wichita Falls, Texas, at 10c
and across the border in Oklahoma
towns at 19c; that it was selling at
Wichita, Kansas, at 10c, and at Enid
at 16c. | declared that if elected |
will appeal to the federal authorities
and invoke all the law that Oklahoma
has, to not only put stop to this
discrimination as well as dismember
the pipe line monopoly, but assess as
great a penalty for these offenses as
possible to inflict. | said this knowing
that the Tulsa World would cry dem
agoguery." The World is the proper
ty of the Standard Oil.
| have declared that If elected ! wi
put forth an effort to recover every
dollar that has been wrongfuhy col.
lected from the state | find that
was treading on tender toes when
made this assertion, and that there
are those who fell that they cannot
afford to have such a thing attempted.
| have made the statement that
| intended if leceted to insist that every
official and employee of the state gov
ernment perform his duty in strict ac-
| cordance with both the letter and
spirit of the law. Some have taken eX-
Geption to this on the ground that ii
is a reflection.
| further proclaimed that | will not
permit the custom of diverting appro
priations, and will protect every eX.
penditure in excess of the limit au
thorized by the constitution and tn
laws of the state. This statement has
also found resentment.
| said that | would stand for the
strict enforcement of the criminal code
of this state, and that if the public was
dissatisfied with any of its laws, they
should be repealed rather than their
enforcement ignored. | specifically
mentioned embezZlement, defalcations
and malfeasance in office. Strong eX
ceptions are taken to this attitude.
In fact, am announcing in advance
that intend to do my duty if elected
and guaranteeing that this will never
be construed to mean occasionally
or ''in certain directions" but to do SO
at all times and in every particular
| Just as it will appear in the eyes of a
good honest, conscientious citizens,
who fully understand it. There are a
| * tdl MANY CiOlliNillS NllOoN
i.opposition has been aroused because
of these declarations.
If these are political mistakes"
prefer reiteration and responsibility.
and give assurance that this opposi-
ton will elicit no apologies. | have
conducted my campaign without con
cessions and | intend to continue in
strict conformity with that policy, re.
gardless of demagoguers" - if the
truth can be classed as such.
Respectfully,
GEORGE ID. KEY,
Democrat for Attorney General.
political AdV)