Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-09-02

, diagnosed for more favorable symp-
toms. Alfalfa BIZ Murray, failing
to hear anything like unanimous call
of the masses at the Shawnee meet
ing, is at present engaged in an effort
to mobilize a throng at Oklahoma
City to whom he can dramatically
warble, my private interests and con-
siderations shall be sacrificed to the
cause of the commonweaE" Bits
friends say that his candidacy Is un-
certain, but there are others who be-
lieve he will be in the race. Frank
Gault's close friends say that 1t is
cinch he will he very much in the
fray. There will be still others in the
contest whose announcements will be
made later.
The FavOritcs.
No matter what the ultimate line
up of the already announced, probable
and prospective candidates, and s.
regarding all future possibilities, the
favorites in the 1918 campaign, in NY
opinion, will be Robertson, Durant
and. Gault. OF this | have found suf-
ficient evidence in my travels thru
many counties during the past ten
months, and the range OF sentiment
canvassed has been Of sufficient mag
nitude to supply the basis for rea-
sonably accurate pre-electoral fore
cast.
+ 1t is possible however, that un-
| foreseen events, strategical maneuvers
and strengthened organizations may
have more or less bearing in changing
! the conclusions reached after having
weighed the expressions heard upon
my travels; but such things will have
| to he of a radically BON bastic nature
to upset my calculations for the rea-
son that opinions and intentions OF
the farming element are as adamant
compared to those of our urban citi
zenry. And ii is among the rural
classes that / have found q serious
determination to actively engage
themselves in the selection of the next
Democratic candidate for governor.
This determination is almost uni
versal among the farmers. stockmen
and rural merchants thruout the
state; 1t Is particularly strong among
| farmers and renters, and Il is growing
| by leaps and bounds.
There is no room for controversy
over the statement that the farmers
and live stock raisers are in a position
! to name the next governor of Okla
homa, but there are hundreds of pro-
fessional politicians who will tell you
that these elements cannot get to-
gether, that they are indifferent, that
they will not go to the polls and that
they have never been known to agree
on a single gubernatorial candidate
Ordinarily such arguments would be
| sounG, and judging from past per-
formances such assertions are true.
They would, perhaps, hold in the
coming primaries were 1t not for
combination of circumstances which
will reverse the old order Of rural
campaign Indifference.
N,n n,,nr,,,tn,J
There can be no question about the
men on the farms having awakened
to their strength-the strength of con-
certed action; they are aware of the
effect Of their past negligence IN state
elections; they realize that their in
terests have never received equitable
consideration at the hands of electives
and they are determined to be heard
''for once" as it was expressed by a
Custer county stockman. The candi-
date in whom they feel they can place
their trust and upon whom they can
depend to safeguard their interests
will be the man who will poll their
votes But the claim for their sup
port will have to be sound; 1t will
have to be honest; it will have to be
convincing, and II will have to with
stand the scrutiny and analysis to
which 1t will be subjected. 1t will
even have to be recognizable at a
glance and absolutely devoid of in
tricacies
Once considered and weighed, and
n choice made, nothing less than an
explosion will be required to change
the preference of the majority OF the
men on the farms of Oklahoma from
one candidate to another. Past per-
formances OF the most conspicuous
announced and probable candidates
have already been discussed by the
majority OF the farmers and their ia
vorites have been chosen. small
minority are still undecided in their
choice. Still others are asking ques-
tions and weighing the qualifications
of the three most formidable candi-
dates. but these are confined almost
exclusively to urbanites.
Corporation Talk.
! Upon a number % occasions l have
been asked upon what record Robert
son expected to claim the farmer
votes and upon what grounds he
based his belief to their support. Not
, a few of these men read the charge
in the Durant News that Robertson
is corporation attorney, and later
the speech of Frank Gault before the
Canadian County Breeders associa-
tion, in which it was claimed that Bob
Williams will support Robertson as
the price of the latters withdrawal
from the conflict in 1914. A fellow
in small town in the western part
of the state claims that If Robertson
was caught by the heels and held VI
the railroad passes falling out of his
pockets would scatter all over crea-
ton. In the rural districts a mans
connection with such interests Is
slightly different from waving red
flag at an infurated bull. l was told
that such man was extremely pre-
sumptious in supposing a farmer
would vote for him.
Under such circumstances In the
country districts 1t was not surprising
. to find the Robertson sentiment nil
, He is looked upon as a man whose
connection with big corporations ha.
made him dangerous to rural interests
1t is pointed out that he is unfamiliai
with the live stock and agricultural
needs of the farmers. His strength
shifts itself almost exclusively to the
larger cities.
| Other adverse expressions heard or
) my rounds were to the effect tha
2 Robertson betrayed his friends by hi.
I withdrawal from the 1914 campaign
! that he was defeated in race for re
| p1actipn m ha