Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-11-20
Sensational Regime
CONTINUED from PAGE One)

4.-
legislature a program looking to the
betterment of the conditions OF the
farmers and laborers. About half
the laws he proposed were enacted.
Immediately after adjournment Of
the legislature in April the governor
set about reconstructing the boards
OF control of state school and insti-
tutins and protest was aroused
throughout the state.
While the protest was at its
height Walton named George Will
son, an organizer of the Reconstruct
ton League and his own campaign
manager, for a time, as president of
the Oklahoma A. and NJ, replacing
Doctor j. b. Eskridge. Nearly 1000
students and residents OF saltwater
seat of the college, carried their pro-
test personally to the governor, and
carrying out a threat. Walton had
Wilson installed under the watehful
eyes of a party of national guard Of
ficers.
The American Legion continued
it's opposition to Wilson and after
about a months incumbency he was
removed.
With Wilson's removal came a
dramatic break with the Recon-
SCruCtlOn League.
With no forewarning. announce
ment was made from the executives
office June 26. that he had declared
martial law in Okmulgee county. He
explained that the action was neces-
sary to curb masked outrages. The
military rule, however, was lifted
two weeks later. On August IA,
Tulsa county went under the con-
troll OF the national guard. A mill
tary court of inquiry was set up and
functioned for more than two
months.
During that time three men were
sentenced to the penitentiary upon
pleas of guilty of rioting charges.
A strong protest came from the
press when the governor suspended
the writ of habeus corpus and for a
time placed military censor in the
offices of the Tulsa Tribune and the
Henrietta Free Lance.
The censorS were removed shortly
and the habeas corpus suspension
was never brought to a test n court,
prisoners being released.
On September Is, at midnight, the
executive issued a proclamation plac-
ing the entire state under martial
law. He declared the ku klux Khan
was responsible for the lawlessness
that he charged existed to such an
extent that Estate of rebellion and
insurrectoion" held sway in Oklaho-
ma.
Machine guns were trained on a
grand jury room at the Oklahoma
county courthouse when a grand jury
was about to assemble to investigate
charges that Governor Walton had
misused state money.
A majority of the members of the
state legislature signed a call for a
special session to consider Walton's
actions. On September 26, the date
set, the meeting was prevented by
national guard troops.
A petition for q constitutional
amendment to permit the legislature
to meet without call by the governor
for impeachment sessions then was
circulated. The petition was approx
ed by the secretary of state but Wal
ton declared the measure would be
kept off the ballot.
After much legal maneuvering a
last minute court decision ordered
the election to proceed with the leg
islative amendment on the ballot.
At once Governor Walton issued a
proclamation indefinitely postponing
the election. He issued statement
that the entire force of his state po-
lice. which he said numbered $1,000,
would be in the field to bar the cleo
ton and that the whole of the Okla
homa national guard. which with VOL
unteers. he declared numbered TO-
600. would be on duty to prevent
rioting.
Throughout the state generally
officials who had been ordered to
stop the election gave no heed to the
governors order. Sheriffs recuited
their forces by denutizing thousands
of citizens and the election passed
quietly.
The vote was overwhelmingly in
favor of the legislative amendment.