The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-10-20
WON'T FOLLOW
COX AND FERRIS
lie Flore Democrat Draws
Line on Wilson
League
NO LESS A DEMOCRAT
Wants All Good Americans
t. Follow Him in Support
of Harding and Harreld

sAv "orreVondenco.
Oklahoma CITY, oct. 10
senator Joseph Il. Fleming of Po-
tow is among the prominent demo
cradle officials of the state opposing
,t. election OF Scott Ferris 10 the
I.r DI States senate and also tho
election Of Governor Cox as prcsi-
de- He has been a towering Gig
D.. iu legislative affairs and his po-
..tuu elected a telegra m a ON Sen
at.r j. J. smith of Miami a fellow
democrat In the oklahoma senate.
.aIahoma City newspu pCrs re-
osutIv contained au item 30 the ef-
ft,, hat Senator Fleming had bccH
called before the demO'ratie COM
w.tro of lie Flo e county and askc l
p. resign. This meeting syas never
I.H and no request for his rcsigna
uon was mc de. His reply u S,ra
tor smith u D model Of hMerican-
ism and tristles with arguments
why the dJ'UCrats opposed to the
IRrIc ot iations shoJli follow his
example t says.
senator J. j. Smith. Miami,
oklahoma. Dear Senator Smith:
Replying TO your telegram OF tho
18TH, in which you advise mo that
your local papers announce that |
am openly supporting Harding and
Harreld, and requesting mo to ad-
wise you whether or not this 10
true. The announcement in your
pnpcrs Is true. / am supporting Mr..
Harding and Mr.. Harrcld the re-
publican candidates for president
and United States senate respect
iyely. l am supporting them be-
cause they are opposed 10 tho VIII
son league Of nations and | am in
hearty accord with them on this is
sue. I consider this the greatest is
sue that has ever been presented TO
the American people for their ap-
proval or rejection. This is srcat
and important foreign question that
has much to do with the future wei
fare and perhaps the destiny OF our
great and glorious nation. This is
too great a question to be made n
partisan issue. and / heartily agree
with the president and Mr.. Cox, the
democratic candidate, that II is "a
genuine ands solemn referendum to
the American people for their ap-
proval or rejection.
This Is not a political question
and when our democratic party had
It saddled upon them it challenged
the truo Americanism OF every dem
ocrat In the nation. AS for me, my
duty Is plain. / first owe my duty
10 my country and then TO the party.
! am first n loyal American citizen
and then a partisan. / cannot stul-
tify my conscience by voting for n
thing Of this vast importance when
I knew II Is wrong, in order to be
regular with my party. As for me,
" ragt I'm
the interests of my country by vot-
ing for these republican candidates.
MY partisan friends tell me that
! am making q great political mis-
take. They tell me that ! am dig
ging my political grave. That may
be true In a partisan sense. II may
be that I will never again be per-
mitted TO hold public office for the
course that ! am now taxing. II
may he that I will soon sink into
utter insignifiCance because I prefer
to stand by that which 1 know Is
right. II that should be the case.
let il happen. / cannot and will
not sacrifice principles and the tra-
dltions Of my country for political
eXpediency.
senator, permit me to say to YOU
frankly that | am firm believer in
lhe sound and noble principles OF
government as handed down to us
by the father OF our party. Thomas
jefferson. / will always hold those
great and noble principles of gov
ernment very dear TO my heart. This
great and important question doca
not involve party principles in any
way. I wish to say further, that I
have never in my life voted for a
THn1lhllpan RunHi1ntn for nffiCA
have always been partisan, but see
my duty plainly and / must cast my
vote for Mr.. Harding and Mr.. Har-
reid.
u am very proud or the great
American privilege that is mino that
/ can go to the polls and cast my
vote In accordance with the dictates
OF my conscience. This Is indeed a
ErolL nriNilege 10 nNnrY AmnrlcAn u