Evening star., 1923-10-02
0KLAH0MANS POLLING
HEAVY VOTE DESPITE
ORDERS OF GOVERNOR
Continued from First Page.)

Continued from First Page)
| properly published as provided by
law.
on the other hand. George F.
| Short, state attorney general, pro-
claimed it legal and called upon all
qualified voters to cast, their ballots
The state law provides that an ini-
| tiated measure is effective immedia-
i tely after it is officially determined
| that a majority OF votes In an elec-
tion has been cast In its favor.
This would mean that IL the leg1sla-
tive amendment carries, and no legal
contest is made by the governor as
to the validity of the election, the
legislature would be In position
before the end of the week to hold
an impeac achment session.
The possibilities Of the situation
have diverted interest almost COM
pletely from an injunction, action in
stituted In state district court here
by members of the legislature to
prevent the executive and his mill
tary and civic representatives from
Interfering with their attempt to- CON-
vene. Hearing on this petition. set
for today. has been postponed until
Thursday. The action was brought
after officers of the Oklahoma Ma
tionaI Guard dispersed an attempted
session of the lower house OF the
legislature last Wednesday upon
orders OF Gov. Walton. %. -
Calls New Election. a-a
Gov. Waltons final attempt. to
stop the election machinery was made
in a call last night for srl election
of December to vote on the con-
stitutional amendment authorizing
the legislative call
The executive reiterated his charge
that today's proceedings will be IL
legal, and in a public statement at
the same time said:
st submit / do not want to be gov
ernor II the people want to amend
the constitution to enable the Ku
Klux Klan members of the Legislature
to impeach me, thereby removing all
restraint on Iawlessness and the
Klan."
He said, however, that he is willing
| to submit the question to fair and
legal election"
Shortly before he had issued
statement denying that he intended
ito use the military to prevent the
election today.
! Legislative opponents Of the gov
ernor In the movement for his i'm
parchment followed the new elactton
call with a, statement appealing to
| the people not to be. swayed by
threats or eIeventh-hour .propa-
ganda."
I Gov. Walton issued the call for TO-
days election on August 13, before
i
ment had been circulated. Early sun
fday morning, however. following the
collapse of a bitter court fight to keep
the measure from the ballot, the
| executive issued a proclamation in
definitely postponing the election.
The governor yesterday reconstructed
the state election board and with two
members friendly to his program.
constituting i majority, orders were
sent all county boards to halt the
election.
l The election machinery, apparently,
was not stopped, and the scope of the
reorganization was extended to in
cIude the county boards.
Courts Enter Fight.
Then the courts entered the fight
and in Oklahoma City and Ardmore
the executives plan was nullified by
| injunctions restraining the new board
| members from interfering,
In Oklahoma City, where 5000 cfti-
zens with special commission waited
/ to aid election officers, a woman. in
whose home the ballot box for a
township is placed, was warned by an
unsigned letter TO get that box out
of your house by morning or some
| thing will happen" In no case, 1t
was said, have the threats been no.
\ ticed.
A clash was narrowly averted at
Tecumseh last night when the sheriff
with 125 deputies went to the court
house to obtain the ballot boxes for
! delivery to election officials. He was
met at the entrance by sixty armed
men, said to have been acting under
I orders of the county attorney, who
declared they had instructions to
| shoot to kill any one who attempted
| to touch the election supplies.
| Sheriff Gets Injunction.
| The sheriff went Immediately before
I District Judge Hal Johnson at Chand-
/ Ier and obtained an injunction re-
| straining any interference with the
| election.
Similar restraining orders were
| granted on the petition of citizens
and election officials at Tulsa, Okla
homa City. Enid, Ardmore, McAlester
tAtoka, BartIesville and Madill. In
/ these and other cities where special
7 deputies were commissioned to pro-
tect the election It Is estimated that
| more than 10000 men are guarding
| the polls.
I Numbers Of special officers. directed
by Gov. Walton. appeared at differ
| ent points in the state yesterday and
| attempted to gain control of election
supplies. but, with one exception, they
I dispersed peaceabIy when ordered
I away by the civil authorities.
Six men who claimed they were
I operatives from the governors office
/ were arrested at Madiu for threaten
) ing the secretary of the local election
| board. They are to be heard In court
! today.