The call of the North. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1923-1924, 1923-09-28
OKLAHOMA DESPOT
STILL RULES.
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that the chief executive of the state
has been guilty of specific violations
of the laws and constitution of the
state"
All three statements were signed by
the same men.
Called by Tulsa Editor
The meeting today was called by
Victor Barnett, managing editor of
the Tulsa Tribune, after conferences
extending over several days with edi-
tors throughout the state. Mr.. Bar
nett presided.
The public address follows:
"The Governor of Oklahoma, j. C..
Walton, has invoked martial law for
the entire state of Oklahoma, pro-
claiming that a state of insurrection
and rebellion against the laws and
constitution and constituted authori-
ties of Oklahoma does exist within
and throughout the state of Okla
homa.
"This declaration must not 60 un-
challenged. We, the undersigned edi-
tors of daily newspapers in Oklaho-
ma, make the following statements to
the people of the United States.
Libel Against State
"The governors declaration is a
libel against the state of Oklahoma.
There has not been any riot, insur-
rection nor rebellion in any part of
the state, nor have the civil authori-
ties been defed or overthrow. No
group of citizens nor civil officers
have made a request for military
intervention.
"The criminal records of counties
and cities in Oklahoma show that
there has been less crime during the
past year than in any year since the
war. Almost without exception the
communities of the state were as
peaceful and law-abiding as any nor
NAL community in America when this
proclamation was issued. Since Au-
gust IA, when martial law first was
invoked in Tulsa county, the forces of
the National Guard have not been
used in a single instance to quell any
riot or civil commotion.
"Governor Walton by his own acts
has attempted to nullify rights guar
anteed under our Constitution and to
halt the lawful processes of repub-
lican government"
"First, he has stationed armed
guards before the legislative chambers
at the state capitol to prevent the
Legislature from peaceably assembl-
ing and he has threatened to arrest
any legislators who attempt to as
semble and to keep them in Jail dur
ing his term of Office.
Second, he has ordered the disso-
luton of a grand jury which was
about to convene in lawful manner
for purpose of investigating some of
his official acts and he had a machine
gun trained on the grand jury room
of the courthouse.
Suspends Habeas Corpus Right
"Third, by his own fiat he ordered
the writ of habeas corpus suspended,
although the constitution of the state
specifically declares that the privilege
of the writ of habeas corpus never
shall be suspended by the authorities
of the state The Federal Constitu-
ton also guarantees this right to
American citizens.
Fourth, he established censorship
over two newspapers and threatened
other newspapers with the same
treatment, thus suppressing the free
dom of the press, another fundamental
right guaranteed both by national and
state authorities.
Fifth, he has ordered the military
forces to take over the courts and the
law enforcement branches of the civil
government in Tulsa and Oklahoma
counties, in conflict with decisions of
the state supreme court, which pro-
vided that the military forces of the
state shall at all times be subordinate
to the civil authorities.
"SiYth a1tho11uh nosino &c tho