The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-08-01
(Polltical AdvertlsinE)
Editorial in Daily OkIahoman
July IA, 1918
WHOM SHALL WE NOMINATED

UOU have heard the statement made good many
times the last month or two that the people ara
not interested in politics this year. Il may be true.
but The Okahoman takes the privilege OF doubling Ill
In any event. thi, paper sincerely hope, that tho
people will take the keenest interest in politics this
year; that they will anayre carefully the men who
are asking for office and that they will pick out the
very ablest men.
1t was never so important A. II Is now that the
people choose the very best talent available for tho
great work OF conducting the public business Of this
state Nobody knows how long this war Is going TO
last But il the history OF all previous, war, fur
nishes any answer to the riddle. this opinion at
least may be ventured: This war will end when
the allies by superior strength take the initia-
tive away from Germany not one front. but on aid
fronts. 1t will end when we instead OF G.rmanyI
shall choose the time and the place OF attack Any4
how, that will be the beginning OF the end. How
soon that will be nobody knows. But conservative
men Of the widest expericnee-men like Mr.. Taft,
for exampe-beleve that the United States will have
10 put an army Of 100000 men in Europe before the
war is ended.
II tina. judgment |, correct ", may probably
count on two more years Of war But whether the
war goes on for two years five years, whether
IT stops tomorrow it Is imperative that we select
our sblest men for the management Of thi, states
varied and big and growing business II the war
goes on, we shall need men who will know what
Is best to do as the problems arise The mere will
ingne,s to stand by the government |, not sufficient
No question has been raised IS to the loyalty of
any candidate. But we've got TO have than
loyalty in the men aspiring to state offices. Along
with loyalty they must have first rate ability. And
loyalty Plus ability does not quite fiji the bill od
particulars. They have got to have the right tem1
permanent the faculty OF cooperating with the heads
of other departments No matter how loyal and able
a man may be, II he lacks the talent for getting on
with his associates if he is a natural trouble makeri
ss many an able man is, he /, not the man for the
fob this time.
We have got to have teamwork 10 the sdminIstrsI
tjon OF our public business during the war and the
years Immediately following the war.
As everybody understands. the biggest office In
our state is the governorship. Whether our repub-
1can friends coneede II not il is fact that the
man nominated for governor in the democratic pri-
mary will be the next executive Of Oklahoma II Is
critically important that democrats name man in
every way qualified for that office. The character
OF the governor determines the character OF the adj
minstration, just The head Of any concern deter
1uines the character Of that concern For four years
the man nominated for governor by the democratic
party in the August primary will be the general
manager of this vast enterprise-the state Of Okla
homa War peace that man will be tested as no
other governor ever has been. He will have to spend
himself prodigally. He can save nothing, restrys
nothing He will have to give Of his strength, his
enthusiasm, his ingenuity, his vsion-all that he
has down to the last red cent II it is war, he must
furnish the spiritual leadership which shall marshal
us all along the ways of endeavor and to distances
of denial-to atars of sacrifice il you please
which none OF US perceive today. II Il is peace, he
will have to grappe with the problems Of recon-
structng the industrial life Of this state. On
The measure OF ability he brings to the task, tree
mendous issues turn In the things that make for
the welfare and happiness Of people, this state will
90 finely forward or shuttle amlesiiy on in the next
four years. according to the character and oaiber Of
its governor.
A great many Of the conventional features, you
might say fixtures, OF politics have been happily
missing from this canvass but the people ought to
take the most profound interest this year in poll
ticsthat iszin putting their affairs in the safest
ahe 9leanest, the most capable hands.