The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-11-01

DlsI0R ANCHISEsIENT on Me-
GRO Is NOT GOOD FGR
STATE, HE SAYS

Oklahoma City, OKLA, Nov. 1.-Ex
Governor Lee Cruce is not sure tha
there is any need for law or al
amendment to the Constitution that
will limit the voting power OF the
negro, He says that it Is apparently
impossible to enact any law that will
limit the franchise of the negro while
It does not indicate the same limita
ton as to other voters that will stand
the test of the supreme court
"There is a moral side to the ques
ton, anyhow" said the ex-governor
THAT side ought never to- be over
looked, The negro under the federal
constitution is given a right to vote
equal to the rights of other citizens.
Any test that is TO be applied to pros
pective voters of the negro race ought
in good morals to be applied to all
voters of whatever race Whether it
was a mistake to give the ballot to the
negro is not the question today 1t
probably was a mistake, But the law
is there and the thing to be done is
to obey the law.
Does Not Fear Negro Domination.
81 am not particularly alarmed over
the prospect of negro domination nor
over the prospect of democratic defeat
as a result of the decision Of the SUI
preme court in the grandfather clause,
| believe that there will be many
negro democrats in the future in this
state as there seems to be now. The
negro vote is not necessarily repub-
lican vote, and it can be divided as is
the vote of white men an dthe people
generally.
Ex-Governor Cruce said that gen
eral literacy test might be good thing
Il it were applied equally and justly
to all alike, but he did not say that he
would advocate it. He said that poll
tax requirement would probably prove
unpopular unless it were based on
sound economic argument and not
upon political expediency. He ex-
pressed the opinion that it would be
unpopular with the masses of the peo-
pie Of Oklahoma, however and said he
does not think it will be attempted.
Fair election laws and honest en-
forcement Of them are all that the
people ought to desire, and think
they are all that the people do de-
sire" said the former governor. "The
questions that are being discussed by
leaders Of the democratic party with
respect to the ballot and the negro
ought to be considered in their broad
aspect and never allowed to be biased
by imagined factors of expediency.
The democratic party will he able to
get it's share of the votes of all classes
and colors without attempting to evade
that are fixed in the Con-
stitution and laws"
Mo Congressional Aspirations.
Mr.. Cruce said that there is no
for the rumor in political
circles that he has aspirations to go to
There has been a report
that the former governor would prob
ably become a candidate for the
democratic nomination for congress in
his district along with Judge Freeman
and probably others who may contest
for the honors with Congressman
Carter. II am not thinking about any
office," said he. my political am
Ditions were satisfied in full when
was chosen to be governor Of Okla
IONA. ! wanted to be the first gov
srpor of the state, but that honor was
lot accorded to me. The next high
,st honor in my mind was to be the
second governor of my state, and |
it. | do not want any other
political office. Congress has never
Ippealed to me, and ! am not going to
eek a seat in it..