The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-07-23

thrown himself into the political
breach and is sending out circular
letter to editors of smaller papers
urging them to rally around his
standard and help save the state
from the pernicious influence OF
Republican papers by nominating
Judge Robertson for governor.
Mr.. Harper is more or less ex'
cited over the situation. In one
breath he charges Bill Alexandel
with doing the dirty work against
Robertson and in another tearfull,
states the Republicans are trying tc
nominate William II. Murray fol
the reason they see in him the can
didate easiest to defeat. His charge
against Alexander may be true
ANYHOW Alexander seems to be able
to take care of himself but hi'
charge that Republicans look upor
Bill Murray as the weakest candi'
date calls for some argument. Okla
homa is for the war without equivo
cation, and no candidate who doe:
not stand squarely for a fight to
finish is going to get much consider
alton. Mr.. Murray is the most out
spoken advocate of war among the
Democratic candidates.
If there are, as Mr.. Harper says
any great numbers of Republican:
supporting Bill Murray they are do
ing it for the same reason that the
Republicans are supporting the
presidents policies in this war-fo'
patriotic reasons.
Republicans are going to put Out
candidate who is unquestionably
for the war, and will uphold the
government in its fight for peace
that will be everlasting, and II
Democrat is to be elected, we want
him to be man of the same cal
iber.
AS to Bill Murray's weakness, we
seem to remember that as candi-
date for congressman-at-large ne
carried every congressional district
in two of which the Republicans
elected their candidates for con
gress. and that he also carried LIN
coin county, which Judge Robert
son never has been able to do.
Space forbids that many we'll
known papers like the Guthrie
Leader Shawnee News-Herald and
other we'll known papers be quoted
all agreeing substantially on the
same facts as to Murray's fitness
his ability, integrity, honesty and ms
brilliant chances of victory. NOT
a line of paid matter in the bunch
Robertson Strength Overestimated
A careful look-in develops the fact
that Robertson and his friends
kidded themselves into believing
Robertson had splendid chance
bv reason of the large vote he re-
ceiyed in the contest between HIM
self and Gov. Williams. The fact IS
Robertson received this large vote
not so much that the people loved
Robertson more, but because they
loved Williams less. The final vote
between Williams and Fields devel-
oped this fact. While other candi-
dates on the democratic ticket were
elected by majorities of thirty and
forty thousand, the state election
hoard had to use a magnifying glass
TO see William majority at all
showing that the men who were our
to beat Williams would vote Tor
anyone, plumb regardless.
Murray Strength Underestimated'
There can be no doubt that Muir
ray's strength was seriously miscal-
culated by his opponents. Neither
Alexander nor Robertson nor their
managers arrived at the conclusion
that Murray was the man they mad
to defeat. Instead they engaged IN
mud-slinging campaign which has
damaged them both.
The people of the state are IN no
temper to take on any mans per
sona quarrel at time when the
nation is shouldering the biggest
quarrel the world ever has or prob
ably ever will know. 1t would
seem that Robertson disavows mud
singing and beseeches for a clean
campaign, yet he and his managers
are allowing to get by unchalleng-
ed things that should not enter INTO
a clean campaign.
One of the most vicious breaks
was the discussion in the News
Herald of Shawnee as to Murray
having married an Indian. Ihis
is a line from the rather nauseat-
ing piffle taken from last Thurs
days paper: "You know that near
ly every white man who went over
into Indian Territory and married
an Indian woman and proceeded
to raise him quite number OF lit
tie Indians"-we will not dignity
it by full repetition, but anyone who
is interested can secure a copy OF
the Shawnee Herald of July 18th
and read for themselves. Entering
the sanc,ity of mans home in this
manner, merely because he is your
political opponent may be clean pol
itics according to Judge Robertson's S
idea, but to the thousands who
know the charming Mrs. Murray
the niece of Ex-Governor John
ston, this will hardly make an ap-
peal to thousands of Murray's neigh