The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-15
Oklahoma's Stacker Senator
By Walter Ferguson
In The Cherokee Republican

Illtlbl ~.
Gore came to Oklahoma a few years
prior TO statehood an announced can
didate for the United States senate. He
has been involved in Texas politics as
a Popuust. He participated in the
great rebellion in that state which
came near disrupting the Democratic
party and was the most vitriolic and
effective denouncer Of that historic or
ganization. AS a radical voicing every
art in the way of denunciation, Gore
achieved a wide reputation as malcon-
tent. In fact if there had been an J..
w. w. organization in that day he
would have no opposition for high
priest. But the movement famed ana
he moved to Oklahoma where the ten
ant farmer situation appealed TO ms
political sagacity and declared that ne
came here to become the first Unite'l
States senator
shortly before statehood an election
was held and Gore was elected to the
last session of the territorial council
The position was identical with the
present position Of state senator and
although they were officially council
men" they arrogated to themselves the
title of senator, and he became known
as Senator Gore" which had ire
mendous psychological effect on his lat
er campaign for the larger office. As
a member Of the legislative body Gore
was Of little use and displayed no leg
isIative ability. He was enabled TO
make a number OF speeches which at
tracted attention over the state and
secured innumerable invitations to visit
various communities and deliver
speeches. The one set speech that ne
made every place was a gust OF empty
rhetoric which made a various number
Of witty, or catchy comparisons oe'
tween the coming state of Oklahoma
and the states Of the Union, ending with
the cant phrase More beautiful wo-
men than Kentucky" He delivered this
speech al the last Democratic conven'
tion held in old Delmar Garden to q
vast audience and scored the hit tina.
paved his way 10 place and powNr'
which he held for ten long years and
then so shamefully abused.
In the first campaign which was an
indiscriminate primary without much
warrant. Mr. Haskell, who was looking
after the details of the primary, became
convinced that Gore was a winner He
had heard him and copied some Of his
methods. Haskell bet his money on
Gore as the old Oklahoma senator and
Furman as the Indian Territory choice.
Furman won; that is, he got the high
est number Of votes, but the line
agreement gave the nomination to Gore,
who was high on the Oklahoma side.
In this campaign Gore employed sym-
pathy for the first time. He evolved
a beautiful speech. declaring that he
did not want the sympathy Of the vo'-
ers. He spoke eloquently about the
sparkling brown eyes Of his little girl
which he had never seen. Described the
wonderful devotion Of his wife, whose
face he had never gazed upon, and talk
ed in undulating waves about the glo-
rious sunrise which painted the sky
with beauties for all eyes but his. The
speech had about forty-iive minutes
with regard 20 the beautiful things IN
life which he could not see. but though
he was in "etar1al darkness" he spurn-
ed any sympathy but the tear.stained
audiences remembered and voted. The
first returns showed his defeat hy about
3 900 votes. but the boxes from the pic
mic precincts arrived with "a Gore and
Haskell majority and while Lee Cruce
and Roy Hoffman were writing speeches
of acceptance.
Gore drew the short term and bis
campaign for reelection was 90 come
shortly. Arriving In Washington with
the unique distinction Of being "a blind
member Of that great body Gore be-
came a national character with his in-
The first summer he was
in great demand IN all sections Of the
country as a chautauqua speaker and
during his first year probably declined
more invitations 10 speak than any 9th
or senator ever received. The politicians
in the state had never taken Gore as
anything but an accident and DO was the
sad and solemn intention 20 take him
at the expiration Of the short term.
Just before the semiannual boiling
of the political pot In Oklahoma an in.
nocent news item appeared In the vari.
Gus papers Of the state. II did not have
a large headline and IL was not an eN.
tended argument for Cores reelection.
1t was not a resume Of his services. not
"a tribute to his ability. Il was a sim.
pie item under a Washington date line
which said that Senator Gore. the blind
statesman, had "A chance 10 recover the
long lost vision. The item said that he
had been under the treatment OF a IA.
nous eye specialist and that during an
operation his sight had been restored
for am instant until ne could catch a
glimpse OF his cuff. The item closed
with the statement 90 the effect that II
Gore could have absolute rest and quiet
in Washington that the chances were
splendid that the sightless statesman
would be able 10 gaze upon the golden
dome OF the capitol Needless 60 say. the
item threw a panic into the opposition
and no one had the temerity 90 ofer
himself as "a candidate against the un.
fortunate man. He bridged over this
chasm without even cam
paign and in the sympathetic wave that
flashed over the state he was secure In
six years more Of political life.
During this six years came remark
able changes In the political history OF