The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-10-02
Citizens Are
tc
Keep Order.
Civil Authorities Increas.
Strength to Prevent Trouble
at Election Today on
Legislative Rights.
Governors Defeat Seen

Oklahoma City. Okl.. Oct. Mill.
tary forces of the state will not inter.
fere with tomorrow's special election,
Gov. j. C. Walton declared in a for
NAL statement early tonight.
The governor denied the statement
attributed to him yesterday that the
entire national guard would be mobil
lied 10 prevent the election. He
called upon all citizens of the state
to preserve peace tomorrow.
The statement addressed to "the
people of the state Of Oklahoma and
all peace officers of the state" fol
lows in full:
1T has come to my notice that
rumor is now being circulated that ]
will interfere by means of the mill
tary 10 prevent or obstruct the pre-.
tended election advertised to tax.
place tomorrow. October .. 1923.
This is to advise you that the mil
itary forces will not intervene in thi.
pretended election and l hereby re-
quest all citizens of the state TO pre-
serve the peace and good order"
Sets New Election Date.
Governor Walton tonight issued a
call for special election December 6
next on the initiative proposal which
would empower the state legislature
to convene itself to consider impeach-
ment charges against the executive.
III the majority OF the people want
to amend their constitution SO as tc
enable Ku Klux Klan members of the
| legislature TO impeach their governor
and thereby remove all legal restraint
on the lawlessness Of the khan. then
| submit ! don't want to be governor
and will advise that We acknowledge
/ the sovereignty Of the emperor Of the
| invisible empire" Governor Walton
declared in a formal statement made
Public simultaneously with the call
Preparations for the opening OF
polls in virtually all parts Of Okla
hona moved apace tonight. as the
hour for an election unprecendenteo
in the history Of the nation drew
near.
Court action. sustained by the
force Of arms borne by citizens who
volunteered for service under regular
county authorities in several in
stances. carried forward the prepara-
/ tions for registering the will OF the
people as TO whether the state legis-
/ lature shall be empowered 10 meet
to consider the official acts Of Gov
ernor Walton without the sanction Of
the executive.
Governors Course Opposed.
| Taking up the challenge Of the
governor that he would place $4,000
special state police at the polls TO-
morrow 10 prevent their opening, op-
ponents OF the executive staged a
hasty campaign TO override his per
ogatlve 10 stay tn election, and with
the authority OF an official opinion
/ from Attorney General Short. hold.
+ ing the governor without power to
change the date of the election. they
obtained from the state al large to-
/ day an expression OF sentiment on
the part of citizens and officials that
constituted a strong denial of the
executives course.
Sheriffs throughout most Of the
state augmented their forces by dep
/ utizing hundreds Of citizens who Of.
fered their services. and tonight bal
lot boxes from one end Of the state
1 To the other were being guarded by
men who had taken up arms by the
authority upon which the governor
had announced he would rely 10
block the election.