The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-03-21
H. B. HARTS
IN A PERSONAL TALK TO THE
VOTERS AND CITIZENS OF ARD
MORE.
TO the Voters of Ardmore:

|
wish to appeal to the voters OF
this city in the interest of my can
didacy for mayor and to let all know
where stand on certain vital issues.
| | feel that it is time we made a
radical change in our policy of law
enforcement. | am told that there
have been thirteen violent killings in
Carter county during the last year,
shootngs and street fights are not
uncommon. Each of these advertises
our city as nothing else can, adver-
tises us as frontier town, with little
respect for law A great deal has
been said about interesting foreign
capital here to establish factories,
etc. Can we expect anyone to bring
his money here, after such advertis-
ing? Won't we have to first show
| that the law will protect any such
| investment and that the law will be
enforced?
Gambling and whiskey selling have
become so general and is SO inter-
mingled with legitimate business that
our women and children are in con-
tinual danger OF coming into direct
contact with it innocently. On Main
street there are bOotlegging joints
which externally appear to be clean,
well managed business houses. DO
you want your wife or children to
go into one of these, unknOwingly,
and run the risk of insult or at least
suspicion? The carrying of conceal
ed weapons has become so common
sional disorderly women are scatter
ed through respectable parts of town,
some even living in our hotels, and
mingle with our wives and children
in the stores and picture shows, The
disorderly woman is not a social
equal nor fit association for our
respectable women. Some of the
pool rooms are unclean, morally and
physically, not fit congregating places
for boys whose characters are just
forming / am not a fanatic, | have
played pool and cards ever since i
was old enough, and | was raised to
moderate use of intoXicants, but
do contend that the present condi-
ton of open, flagrant lawlessness,
the continued and public contempt
for law and order and the defending
and tolerating of criminal tendencies
is our present greatest hindrance TO
the growth and prosperity of our city
and is corrupting the morals of our
coming generation.
For some time past we have been
having a wave of petty crime, extend
ing even to children hardly in their
teens Even burglary has been COM
mitted by mere infants. We should
not blame them SO much as our
selves. Every child in town knows
lllt CohullIono lNlN' hho"p Va ''c'e'
tons of law being winked at by the
authorities and tolerated by our best
citizens. Children are great imita
tors. and as the twig is bent, the
tree will grow. To instil in youthful
minds the fundamental principles OF
right and wrong, we must ourselves
show a respect for law and law en-
forcement. 1t is said that a wide
open" town is good for business. We
have tried it, and | believe you will
agree with me that this is a mistake.
Even if it is, can we afford to barter
for dollars the integrity, honesty and
honor of our children?
We have now every form of tax
that can be thought Of, many of them
unjust, and some possibly illegal. 1t
does no good to complain of high
taxes after the expenses of the city
are incurred. The expenses of the
city have to be paid and you, the tax
/ pay tl IltNN W pay All ouhNS
of prevention is worth all the cure
known. The only way is to reduce
the expenses of the city by a careful,
honest. business administration, high
taxes always follow negligence, ig-
norance, ineXperience or graft, not
once, but always.
The management of a city is SINH
lar to the management of any bust
ness and If you were employing a
manager for your business you would
want information concerning the ap-
plicant. can say that ! have had
ward and high school course, at
tended Princeton university in New
Jersey and later took law degree
at the University of Michigan in
1903, and | have practiced law fol-
the last twelve years. may also
refer to my reputation as peaceful
law abiding citizen, one who has
made some degree of success in his