Evening star., 1922-08-03
OKLAHOMA VICTOR |
INCREASES MARGIN
Primary Results Called
Smashing Victory for Farm
er-Labor Element.
CATHOLIC VOTE SOLID
Klan Issue Injected Openly in Last
Few Days of Cam
= paign.

BY the Associated Press.
OKLAHOMA CITY. Okla. August s.
"A smashing victory for the farmer
union labor element and opponents
of the ku Klux Klan in Oklahoma
was indicated today, when unofficial
returns from 1883 precincts Of 2,S37
in the state gave j. C. Walton. mayor
of Oklahoma City, "a lead of $1,000
votes over r. H. Wilson. superin-
tendent. of the state board of educa-
ton and reputed to have had khan
support.
The figures were: Walton, 73.087;
Wilson. 52,2S4, and Thomas H. Owen.
42,l13.
Walton's margin increased on each
new tabulatfon, and political observ-
erS said they believed his plurality
would exceed $4,000. Mr.. Wilson still
refused TO acknowledge defeat, how
ever. Mr.. owen, former justice OF
the state supreme court. conceded Mr..
Walton's nomination yesterday.
1t was fight between the Ku
kluX klan and other secret orders
on the one side, and the Roman
Catholic church and union labor. on
the other" said the biggest demo-
cratic newspaper of Oklahoma. Wall
ton was strenuously opposed by this
newspaper.
Khan Issue Injected.
The Ku Klux Khan issue was
openly injected into the campaign
the circulation of states purported to
have emanated from the khan, in
dorsing Wilson and blacklistins
Walton.
The Catholic vote was consolidated
for Walton. 1t was claimed by men,
-. ylpr,
made religion a campaign issue. On
the other hand, a publication regard
ed as the official organ of the state
klan came out the day before the
primary with the declaration that the
h X X. as an organization had not
given its support to any candidate.
Walton announced HIS opposition to
the klan in strong terms. Soon after
he entered the city hall in Oklahoma
city he organized union among the
police force.
His Endorsement by the Farmer La
Dor Reconstruction League with a
platform containing many of the
planks Of the National Non partisan
League, including state ownership of
utilities and aid to farmers, brought
him a heavy vote from many rural
precincts.
That politics makes strange bed
fellows is illustra ted by the fact that
hundreds OF socialists as we'll as
Catholics went for Walton. A heavy
change in registration by socialists
who entered the lemocratic ranks to
vote for Walton was reported by the
state election board
Farmer-Lnbor Plea.
Waiton's principal campaign plea
was to win the state government for
the farmer and worker.
Gov. j. b. a. koDei tson and his ad
mlnistration also lent support 10 the
Oklahoma City mayor
In some precincts 1t was reported
as ten democrats to one republican.
Many negroes switched from the
republican ranks before the primary
in order, to vote for Walton, whom
they regard as their champion. He is
the only Oklahoma City mayor tha;
ever demanded that negroes be ap-
pointed on the police force. Several
months ago he made an unsuccessful
ngnt to nave the city com mission
open the Carnegie Public Library to
negroes as we'll as whites.
ESpousIng the plumb plan" Of
government con ,rpl of the railroads.
Mayor walton .adt :? strong appeal
10 the raiiroa workers of the state.
Unless there comes an uapreceden.-
ed upset in the democratic side, Wal
ton will meet John e. Fields oS Okla
hcna City, the republican guberna-
torial nominee. in November. Fields
was leading George Healy more than
IL to /.
Miss Alice Robertson. repu blican, OF
MuSkoGee. Okla. the only woman in
Congress, seemed sure of renomina-
ton in the second district.
The political hopes of Manuel Her
rick, republican, of Perry, self-styled
dying congressman" and styled by
others "a political accident in the re-
publican landslide of 1920" seemed
definitely dashed. He ran third all
tho time In the eighth district, with
the vote still incomplete, and NJ C.
CARRIER appeared to be the nominee.