The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1922-08-04
POLITICS OF
OREGON HIT
BY XII KLUX
Bitter Broil Now
Upsetting State
and viii Elect
Democrat

DelnOCIdl
SALEM Ore, Aug. &.--1he
n. kiux Khan h the dominshs
issue In oregon's politics.
Ard the net result seems 10 %
49, r.v,rdles. 81 the klansnien
or anti Khan forces. stare a"ss
l. overwhelmingly republican
win elect democrat as ko's'"e'
this fall.
Asser the most bitter pre-rrimAry
.rsra,sn In orcgon's history. r.
ruhiican voters went 20 tne psus
~ "a 10 nominate a candidate Tor
~,vsrnor. To-day, several weeks ART
s.se.ra they don't know who they
~n.,,ns..a, There seems little Ike.
lihooa OF their knowins. either un'u
t,,.t before election day. Tor .he 'ssas
shat emhroiied n whole stats 'hee
religious and racial disputes - now
@.rtsnr a tortuous way before y
<srssr~nt courts whose heads must
s~,ns without precedent for guia'
ances =.
f,overnor Ben r. oiccts was OF
r,ssa FOR denomination. among o'h'
e. bv state senator Charles Hat
40 hna the Endorsement OF the
Federated Patriots sceiauc~ -
which the xu Kiux Khan WAS Nv
clAr~a tho guiding factor.
On Khan and antiklsn INES
the entire primary campaign was
fought In Oregon. Party Hines
w~rr obliterated all over the
ssste- ana in the end. as the
fiwht began 10 narrow down u
eott made the Eoverustorisl nom
nation q matter between himself
ard Han. by issuing = statement
drnsuncing the ku kiux HAN As
s-masked outlaw and cahinx
upon the states sheriffs TO en-
force order.
p1eott further discharged . mum.
b1r OF state employees who were SAID
% have Khan affiliations.
The bitterness OF the campaign re-
suited IN a close contest. After sew
eraf DAYS os zee saving. with each
man swapping the lead from time 70
time. the official canvass Of votes de-
clared olcoft beat Hall BY s2f votes
Halls supporters filed contest
They alleged erroneous count OF bal
let's. Votes by aliens. unregistered
citizens. by democrats who changed
th@fr registration to republican on
election day were charged Undue
influence In precincts which are pre-
dor,snnntiy Catholic was Also
charged By Halls supporters In their
complaint
Intimidation Of Catholics. Jews and
NEGROES at thu polls with Khan
threats was tho counter charge OF
the faction supporting oicott- They
make a number OF the same charges
arafnst Oicost's opponents as tnose
raised against the olcott forces
Irrerularifiss In precincts scat
tered over q OF oregon's Is counties
srs charged. Recount OF these II
required. First OF the reccunts -
under way here. the Marion county
circuit court sitting en- tanc 70 near
n. Special procedure has TO DC
thr~~heA out from time TO time
Teller. representing the state
ard each contestant have been
named. One by one, the ballot
boxes In disputed precincts are
opened. Erroneous counting |.
checked for. ard ballots must be
reehecked. reinspcctrd and re-
counted. Disputed ballots arc
then tho subject Of attorneys
arguments, with tho court finally
ruling upon their validity.
Persons accused Of changing regis.
tation are then put on the stand and
forced TO tell whom they voted for.
Illegal voters have not the right 70
secrecy Of the ballot
From here the contest must 80 70
each Of the other Fl counties IN turn
before the final result win be known
BY that time election day viii be
close--but the winner win not have
20 stump tho state 70 make himself
known. Tho bitter religious and
racial fight preceding the primary.
the cicseness OF the vote and the
hatred engendered by the continued
Khan and ansi.Klan activity IN poll.
ties have imprinted the names OF
both candidates upon the minds of
the republican voters In either such
highly unsavory or highly favorable
manner that they cannot be swerved.
They wait TO see whether they wi