Politics as usual
Lee Cruce, a Democrat, served as Oklahoma's second governor from 1911 to 1915. - From The Oklahoman Archives
With the July 27, primary election quickly approaching, campaign signs have blossomed and some of the candidates are beginning to badmouth one another’s records. If we go back 100 years ago, we find that politics haven’t changed a great deal.
William H. “Alfalfa Bill” Murray, Lee Cruce and L.P. Ross were the Democratic candidates for governor.
Ross was a poor third and the race was between Murray and Cruce.
Bill Murray accused the election board of favoritism towards Cruce and attacked the three-man board, vociferously in speeches and in letters. He, however, provided no proof. He attacked Gov. Charles Haskell when he did not endorse him.
Letters were fired back and forth, and editorials were written.
This article, published Aug. 1, 1910, in The Oklahoman, gives a good description of the race:
“A campaign fraught with significant incidents is nearing its close. On the last day before the battle of the ballots….democratic voters of the state are giving serious consideration to only two candidates, Lee Cruce and Bill Murray.”
“Bill Murray’s mud-slinging campaign has been of his own choosing. Because men have honestly
William H. "Alfalfa Bill Murray, Oklahoma's ninth governor, was elected in 1931 and served until 1935. - From The Oklahoman Archives
opposed them they have been denominated “debased and debauched politicians.” Because newspapers have opposed him, he has charged them with being corporation tools. Scarcely an incident of the campaign has passed without a tag being appended by Murray bearing slanderous and unprintable language of denunciation. With scarcely an exception such language was unpardonable, unjustified and unworthy of a man seeking the office of governor.”
While jockeying went back and forth between the candidates , the winner of the primary election was not “Alfalfa Bill” Murray but Lee Cruce, who went on to be elected Oklahoma’s second governor. Murray had to wait until 1931 for his term as governor.
Now 1oo years later, as we prepare for the next gubernatorial primary election this month technology has certainly changed the way candidates get their message out, but has Oklahoma politics and political candidates really changedvery much?
– Mary Phillips
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