The Washington times., 1921-03-09

Possibly some or them are, put
down here in Oklahoma when a man
gets together some $20O,0 to $780,
900 he becomes known forthwith as
a millionaire frequently helps one to
become a millionaire. such beirg the
propulsive energy of a reputation for
riches.
On the board Of directors OF the
Ardmoreite Publishing Company. as
constituted up to year or so ago,
were five Democrats and two Repub-
licans. The newspaper was, however,
a staunch supporter OF the democracy.
Until the surprising revealments or
last November a Republican was a
rare bird in this section of Oklahoma.
Early in 1920 Oklahoma saw, felt,
heard and smelt just about the live
liest struggle over an apparent moth
ing that ever happened in America.
This apparent nothing was the
State membership in the Republican
National Committee. James j. Nc
Graw. Of Ponce City, close up against
the northern line of the State, was
the incumbent. Jake l.. Hamon, OF
Ardmore, thirty miles above the
Texas line, set out to wrest the prize
from Committeeman McGraw. The
fight was furious, fast and frolicky.
1t was northern Oklahoma against
southern Oklahoma Catholic against
non-Catholic. the religious element
being injected into the fight by the
Hamonites. though this they denied
most strenuously. Efforts were made
to enlist Freemasonry on the side Of
the Ardmore candidate, and l know
of some Masons who resented those
tactics.
U
1t was suggested to the editor Of
the Ardmoreite that he write ssme
editorials endorsing the candidacy Of
Mr.. Hamon The editor argued against
that suggestion on the ground that a
Democratic newspaper had no busi-
ness in boosting a Republican for a
political job. The paper had been
accused of being a Republican sheet.
anyhow, by a prominent local Demo-
crat, because one day it had run on
the front page portraits Of three
leading Republicans who were In the
news from Washington.
The editor refused to write the pro-
posed editorials, and they were writ
ten by the general manager and
printed on the front page. Then one
day late in January. the general man
ager disappeared. Two days later he
returned. He had been UP in Okla
homa City, visiting Republican State
headquarters. The day after he got
home the editor went down 20 his
days work and discovered in the
pressroom a stack of Daily Ardmore-
ties branded Sample Copy on each
ear. The layman is advised that the
"ear" of a newspaper is the space
at each end of the front page title.
The celebrated-prcsent 1t became
ceiebrated-'Sample Copy" Ardmoreite
was of four pages, not carrying the
editorial page masthead-the same be-
ing the place where the names of
editors and publishers are printed
from day to day. With the exception
of about half a column of telegraph
news put in as filters, the entire con-
tents of those four pages comprised
promotion matter for the candidacy
of Jake L. Hamon, Republican. The
editor was told that II 900 copies had
been printed, all of them for dis
tribution outside Ardmore circulation
territory. They were to go to dis
tricts wherein Republican district con-
ventions had not as yet voted on the
national committeemanship.
As it turned out, they were not
neeOcO py inc I1dHlou loTCes, slnCc
on that very day enough districts
cast their votes for Hamon to COM
plete his triumph That same day the
editor turned in his resignation
HAMON PRAISED.
Tho sample Copy was filled with
fulsome praise Of Hamon as a mar
velous Republican and a wonderful
citizen. Many of the tributes took
the form of signed letters. the sigma
lures being the names of Ardmore
Democrats Of influence in the busi-
ness and professional life of the city.
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