Washington telegraph., 1920-04-09

Friday evening, January 3Oth;
Mr.. Chairman, Ladies and Cen
tlemen:
l am here tonight to make
the opening address in my cam
paign for the greatest office
within the gift of the people Of
a sovereign State-that Of Gov
ernor.
| am indeed grateful for the
honor and privilege of address
ing this audience of Yell coun-
ty people, in the opening Of my
campaign. l deem it not out of
place in the beginning of this
address, to refer briefly to my
early career in life. | am a ma
tive of the county in which |
now live. My childhood and
boyhood days were spent on a
humble little homestead far in
the rural district of Nevada
county. 1t was not until after
! became the husband of wife
and the father of two children,
that | became imbued with the
ambition to be a lawyer. | then
attended the country schools OF
my county during the summer
months, trying as best | could,
to prepare myself for my chos-
en- profession. 1t would be of
no special interest to this audi
ence, nor would it serve any
useful purpose, for me to un-
dertake to recount the many
hardships and difficulties thru
which l have passed. Suffice it
to say, l doubt if there is a law
yer in Arkansas who has strug"
gled as | have, through poverty
and Cbscurity, in an effort to
gain a foothold in the legal
profession.
After reading law for about
twelve months, | was admitted
to the practice of law, but in
stead of practicing law, | prac-
ticed economy for about ten
years. Finally, l was elected to
the State Senate from my Sena-
torial District, and later be-
came Prosecuting Attorney
which office ! held for two
telyns, afta6 which | was elect
I'd rS Inc circuit Judges Office,
which position / now have the
honor to hold.
My friends, my experience,
environment and association in
public and privte life has
brought me in touch with al
most every class Of people in
the State of Arkansas, and no
man can appreciate better than
|, the hardships and difficulties
with which many Of them have
to deal.
It is my purpose to make
this speech at this time in order
hat the people of this State
may know and understand in
advance, my position on what l
believe to be some Of the most
important questions to be dis
cussed in this campaign. My
views upon the different issues
that may be mentioned and dis
cussed in this address, will
doubtless be at variance with
some of the views and policies
of the present, as well as of
some of the prior administra-
tions of this State; and while |
shall endeavOr to express my
views in terms that cannot be
misunderstood, yet | shall not
do so with any intention of hav-
ing the expression of my views.
gccepted as criticism of any
public or privte individual not
involved in this contest for Gov
ernor.
The ambition to be Governor
of this State is indeed a laud-
able one. However, the desire
to crafty this ambition is, in
my Judgment, insufficient with
in itself to justify the canai-
dacy of any man for this great
office. But he who seeks this.
honor and distinction should.
present to the people of this
State, the policies and princi-
pies by which he expects to be.
guided in the administration of
the duties and responsibilities
of the office to which he as
pires.
The policies and principles