Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-12
Common People" Fought
Back at Inaugural by
Armed Guards.
PARTIES" WITH
PULL" ADMITTED
Many Persons Travelled
Hundreds of Miles Only
to BE Disappointed.

NhIAIlOMA CITY, Jan. ll.-Men,
~ women and children fought like
wild animals to gain admittance to
the Overholser theatre today at noon,
when r. l., Williams was inaugurated
as governor Of oklahoma.
1t was a Democratic Inauguration
in theory, but not in fact. Uniformed
policemen stood at the front doors Of
the theatre and rudely showed the
crowd back, while the favored few
who bore passes from members Of the
Legislature or state officers, were
permitted to pass inside.
It was the most undemocratic in
augural ceremony ever held in Ok
lahoma.
Those who held passes saw the in
auguratlon-the rest stayed outside,
| and an hour and a half after the
ceremony started a crowd Of several
! hundred persons stood in the street in
front Of the theatre.
The members OF the legislature
were seated first. Then the police
men admitted persons who held
passes. Occasionally sergeant Of
police would come to the door and
yell:
Had to stand in"
rs the Durant party here?" or "ls
the Harrison party here?" Then the
personal friends OF the legislator men
toned would force their way through
the crowd and pass Into the building.
Joe Morris, secretary of state. fin
ally opened the stage door about
foot and this provided means or
egress TO state house employees. mem
bers OF boys band from Ponca City
and several pass holders.
Many persons who had Travelled
long distances TO attend the inaugur-
alton were forced TO stand in the
street and be content with hearing
the strains OF band music that occas-
lonally floated through the open
doors.
one man, half intoxicated. was i'm
pressed more by the humor of the oc-
casion than by the tragic side of II.
After he had been showed away
from the entrance n dozen times he
gave shout and began singing in a
whisky tenor" voice:
"Oh, you've got to be a lover
OF the landlady's daughter,
II you want to get the second piece
OF pie"
An aged woman, who had two
grandchildren with her. pleaded with
an officer 10 let her In.
She Didn't Have Red Ticket"
MY son Is in there somewhere
she said. "and he told me he would
get me a seat. We came up from
Purcell to see the Inauguration"
Cant help It, lady" replied the
officer. "Rules are that anyone with
out pass cannot get in. That's all
1 know about it,
The inaugural ball tonight was
much more democratic than the in
auguratlon Anyone who had SO could
attend the ball. but you couldn't even
purchase a ticket to the inaugural
ceremonies.
Blame for the disgusting exhibition
OF "class rule" is hard to fix A Joint
committee of the house and senate os-
tensibly had charge Of the inaugura-
tion. but thev had nothing to do with
selecting the hall and such matters. A
local committee probably attended 10
that. The Auditorium would have been
big enough TO have accommodated
nearly everyone. but It could not be
used. as the floors were being pre-
served for the dance tonight.
IL had been given out all along that
the Inauguration would be public and
this was responsible for the immense
crowd being present.
Il has been suggested that the next
Inauguration OF Il governor Of Okla
homa be held on the balcony of the
Lee-Huclkins hotel so that an unllm-
tied number OF spectators can stand
I'm the streets adjacent thereto.
Gold Braid" Supreme.
In striking contrast to todays in
augural scenes was the Inauguration
OF Woodrow Wilson as president OF
the United States A Gordon OF soldiers
were keeping the crowd az a respect
ful distance from the inaugural stand
when Wilson appeared. He imme-
diately gave orders for the soldiers 10
retire and permit the spectators 20
come as close to him as they could get.
No such executive clemency In be-
half of the masses was exercised at
today's function. The new governor,
however. was I'm no wise to blame. The
gold braid class and the friends ot
the men in power were the favored,
and the fellows who helped put them
in office were left out in the cold.
simplicity marked the induction OF
Judge Williams into the executive Of
flee.
At the conclusion of Governor Will
lams' inaugural address. which was
received with loud cheers by the
audience tho Legislature, in Joint ses-
sion. voted TO print the address in
the journal and make IL the axiom