The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-15


with the election of an unknown" in
politics, an experiment with a pedantic
individual there was as much cause for
the leadership Of national politics to
change as there had been for the head.
With Wilson came Gore A rather in
conspicuous member Of the senate eX'
cept as a freak who had made no inn
press except on the chautauqua gate
receipts Gore became one of the domi.
nant figures in the republic. He was
credited with being the closest man to
the White House and for a fitting pc.
riod basked in the sunshine of political
glory
This brought the test to Gore. II he
had manifested a constructive leader
ship he would probably have been a
dominant character today in the ma
tional life, but he fell for that sweet
smelling, yet unwholesome mess Of stuff
known as political patronage. II soon
became apparent to the hungry in Okla
homa that Gore was in supreme com.
mand The glamour Of his political pres.
tige became lost in the dustry scramble
for plums and he was the center of
discord rather than an object of admira.
ton All Of his interest was manifestly
centered in the patronage question and
his office at the senate building was
like the Turkish tent at the old-time cir
Gus. No Oklahoman who visited Wash
ington seemed to care whether Senator
owen was in town. He was passed up
as completely as though he were a page
and Gore was the whole show. owen
took the situation with calm and dignity
and co4tinued his reading of heavy stuff.
He injected himself into the hard work
of the ienate and in Washington came
to be appreciated as a sound statesman
and a valuable public servant. He gain
ed lot Of respect from Oklahomans
because Ne was not mixed up in the de.
lirious scramble for jobs and while ap-
parently ignored and ineffective he was
really building for the future. owen
had been studying for years a new sys-
TEN Of currency and finally when the
chance for reform came and the Rhode
Island kind was to pass. Senator owen
became large national figure as a
NAdAtNilldllf AAOA a DbAAAlililAs Alf AAeAA -hA-
ten few jobs for the boys but he brought
wild and woolly state that suffered
under vast amount Of unfavorable ad.
vertising on account of her reform" pol
itics some credit that she had not
known. This served TO rather set off
the owen type against the Gore type
and serious Oklahomans who did not
want obs were somewhat charmed with
the favorable advertising owen develop
ed. They looked upon the mess around
Cores office as little better than the
carpet bag" regime they had thrown
out Of Oklahoma.
And then Minnie Bond blew into town.
She was the final straw TO the patron
age mess which had already disgusted
the president. The trial came in Okla.
homa and Gore was vindicated. Presi-
dent Wilson sent him a telegram of con.
graduation on his victory but upon his
return to Washington Gore found the
atmosphere around the White House
rather cool. His power in the matter
Of appointments was waning and his
leadership was nil Without the warm
cordiality coming from the White House
there was nothing else In Washington
TO give Gore standing. Washington Is
strictly built on the lines Of The King
is dead long live the King" When a
statesman loses influence in Washing
ton he loses everything else Even Pen.
rose. during the Taft administration,
was 20 Washington an object of admira-
ton. Now "a Willard belhop has almost
as much standing.
But the stun did not reach Oklahoma
in time. Pitted against the best man In
the state Gore made his third race on
sympathy The public felt that he was
a victim ct cruel plotting and he scored
a majority OF something like 10000
against q man who Is morally and intel
lectually without a peer IN Oklahoma. a
sympathetic wave. like the one that first
surgel over Oklahoma when he talked
about internal darkness in the first
campaign or when it was whispered that
he might gain his eyesight On the sec
ond. eclipsed everything else and he was
returned by the greatest vote ever given
q public man In this state.
ln Wilson's second campaign be made
pcrfunct0ry speeches and drew the larg.
est crowds Of any Of the orators but he
was not in command as he had been In
the first Too the early stages OF the war
program Gore was unconscious IN his
bed and escaped being a "wilful sena-
tor" But with the development OF the
war program came the big opportunity
.of his career. He was chairman Of the
agricultural committee. ordinarily the
one which offers the largest opportunity
Tor bunk" purposes but with the ex.
pansion of the war program was now
second in rank only 10 the committee on
military relations. The administration
food measures We're an important but
Senator Chamberlain Of Oregon. chair.
man Of the military committee. appeared
on the senate floor In charge Of the food
measure and Gore developed into re.
sister and an obstructionlst He voted
for occasional appropriation, bills and
did not withhold his support on all al.
minlstration measures.
Gore had voted against the draft but
was not violent In his opposition. Peo.
pie in Oklahoma were wondering about
his course and what caused him TO be
at such variance with the administra
ton he had helped 90 create. Less than
a month ago a popular young congress.
man showed up in Oklahoma Tor the