The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1922-01-06


Turner Hardware company in Musko-
gee and started keeping books.
Since that time he has put on a
tie-once. This was out OF Difference
TO the custom of stiff formality at
weddings. II there has been any othI
bow to convention political or other
wise) since that time. count it a
mere nod of the head for nobody saw
ii.
Since that time he has raised fam.
lily of boys and girls on the home
farm at Warner, Muskocee. county,
Many people win now add that he has
also raised several gas rates, which
brings us down 10 the very present
Campbell Russell.
The present corporation commission
hes lust as much ut" as big bluff
and hearty Jack Love ever was--is
5S years old. He weighs probably l25
pounds--a little man with slight
stoop in his shoulders.
He is sandy haired, bright eyed,
sharp nosed, mouth inclined to smile,
high voiced with two pitches, equable
temper and argumentative mind
If you should see him board a
Capitol car tomorrow, drop his fare
in the box ram his hands in his ov-
ercoat pocket and slouch down into n
seat, you would never for a moment
guess he was any more than a small
householder bound for home-positive-
ly the most unassuming man to look
at that could be imagined.
lie Looks Retiring" But Looks
Are Deceptive
He looks as If he never had an in
triguing thought, and as if his simple
and retiring nature would be dread
fully embarrassed in an emergency.
But, II his nature is retiring. then
Colonel Bill Kinds can sing tenor.
For 80 years Russell has been ham
mering away at politics in Oklahoma,
and not for a moment Of that time
has anyone failed to understand ex-
acuy where he stood. Sometimes he
might become a bit tedious in his ef
fort OF drive home his conviction.
Many who admired Campbell Rus
sell as legislator think that he
made grave mistake when he left
that field for the more or less judi
cial position of corporation commission.
er.
Perhaps tho trend of business dur
ing the last four years has strength.
ened his belief, and may have pu,
just a small idea to the effect in the
mind of Russell.
There is no question but wha he
would have been one of the most tre-
mendously popular figures in the
state had not the public utilities de.
veloped such gimme" dispositions.
And were his. popularity now as
great and his following as enthusias-
tic as il promised TO be in 1916, then
well could the respective candidates
for governor feel a certain skepticism
about their own chances.
Yet can a corporation commissioner
be justly blamed for granting a rate
raise to company which can go into
federal court or interstate commerce
commission and get even a higher
rate on the same showing?
Many viii Agrre That He Can
sure he can" shouts that crowd
Of perfectly good citizens who have
not become obsessed with the idea
that the public utilities are large or
ganizations of righteousness downtroc
den by the hardheatred consumers.
Despite the obvious fact that a com.
pany must receive q just return upon
its investment, or cease TO exist. peo.
pie are not prone TO forget the fact
that the big corporations made big
much watered stock to absorb these
profits and make more.
1t is reported from high authority
that a certain big public utility i'm.
ploring relief from the corporation
is in a hard row OF
stumps," and but a jump or two
ahead of receivership. They are so
short Of cash that creditors for $4,000
had 10 wait six months before the
could pay part OF it.
Yet so jealous is the band of hol
polloi OF its pocketbook. that il cares
not to listen TO the facts in the case.
Hoi polloi merely looks at the bigger |
rate authorized by the commission and
says damn"
When long-experienced advocate Of
he people is placed in the unenviable |
position OF rate-hiker. there often fol- |
ows n cooling Of the political pots |
hat have boiled UP handsome major.
ties for years and years.
Yet there is the same Campbell Rus.
iell on the bench Of the commission,
who used 20 make every senator lay |
lown his newspaper and listen when /
ne started talking on the senate floor 1
Engineered the . and Per Cent Oil /
Tax
He IL the same man who engineered |
2-per cent gross production tax on