The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1920-10-19

lenses that In the state capital tho
undcrstudies OF the state democratic
machine are tipping those who
wager sums on the elections that the
election machinery of "our party ~
worth 10000 votes" This NAV bo
IDLE talk and have no foundation in
iact, but the outrages OF tho Aug
ust primary lelcction in Carter.
Plttsburg and Choctaw counties
nave not been forgotten and they
serve as guidoposts to those who
really wish 10 ascertain how elcc.
lions IN Oklahoma may not bo all
that they appear to the careless OBJ
server.
Present troubles. and they grow
more numerous every succeeding
day, recall tho primary campaign of
1918. ThrH democrats were con-
testing for" president Of the sta,e|
hoard OF agriculture. Two ~ them.
Robert l.. Scivally of Ardmorp and
John \. Whitohurst OF DoNic. Beck
ham county, were widely known.
Tho former was tho anti-statp adj
ministraijon candidate. whilo Cover
nor x. l.. Williams was determined
10 nominate Whitchurst. y, f. will
son, farmer near Cualgatc. was the
third candidate and was the rccip-
lent Of a plurality vote. Ccns'cr-
nation over this unknown" sweep
ing the machine candidate OF his
feet was tremendous, but the state
election board as then constituted
would not change tho result but the
rcturnl were sent back To several
counties whore rccounts and chaupcs
sufficient were made To enable
WHIT hRrgf a no ,t1u ~. Nha
nominee.
The state election board returns
show that Whltchurst had received
32,6O2 votes Wilson 22,532 and Sci
vally ASST. Very iittlo effort was
made to conceal the fact that vii.
son was the actual party nominee
and tho methods hy which he was
kept of the ballot were so crude
In some of the counties az to forever
dlspel any hope Of holding an honest
election iu those municipalities un-
der the provisions Of the present
law.
John a. Richl, of Blackwell, Kay
county asked that Paul Ibach. sec
rotary Of tho Kay county election
board provide the necessary ma
chincry for registering voters in that
populous district. Precinct registra-
ton officials had resigned and no
effort made TO appoint their success
sors Kay and Oklahoma are tho
only two counties Of old oklahoma
territory where this system has ever
been attempted, but IN the south
eastern part Of the state 1t is better
Systcuizcd the registrars simply
taking a vacation and not putting
the secretary OF the county election
80 h - ffa.
oxplain why "A successor was not ap-
pointed.
Also. AS stated. the tcchnicality
Of not having registered in 1916 is
applied, but in the majority of in
stances this IL done only in the case
of negroes who seek to register and |
have not first become affiliated with .
some negro democratic club or kin !
drod political organization. In the
larger cities negroes who have made
declaration TO help out the demo-
cratic municipal machines have been
pcrmittcd to register and, in all but
Carter county, they who are so reg
istorpd are permitted to vote in the
general elections. In Carter county
the safety first limb of knowledge
is used. negroes being allowed to
participate In the primary only, the
powers that be still being fearful
to trust their black colleagues on
the day Of the general election. This
accounts for the fact that the Car
ter county democratic vote is always
so much larger on primary day than
when the general election is held.
The registration law has no apollo
gist and no defender in the capital
city. Secretary McAllster. OF the
state election board has publicly de-
nounced IL and rs a member Of the
state senate recommended its being
amended TO more nearly comply
with civilized socictys requirements,
but the main spokes in the state ma
chine wheels have clung to it tc-
naciously for tho reason that il is
so drawn as TO permit getting out Of
a close place when necessary.