Difference between revisions of "Benjamin W. Olcott"
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Revision as of 03:30, August 5, 2021
Benjamin Wilson Olcott (October 15, 1872 – July 21, 1952), known as Ben W. Olcott, was an Oregon Republican who served as the state's governor for a term from 1919 to 1923, previously being the Secretary of State. Known largely for his unwavering opposition towards the Ku Klux Klan,[1] Olcott's principled stand against racial and religious bigotry ultimately ended his political career in a era where the KKK heavily influenced state politics.
Governor of Oregon
Following the death of incumbent Governor James Withycombe in 1919, Olcott, then the Secretary of State, assumed the office under the state's line of succession. Although he held some nativist views against Japanese-Americans,[2] Olcott stood strongly against the KKK and issued a proclamation in 1922 strongly condemning the Klan following three assaults that year.[3]
As he ran for re-election in 1922 against KKK-backed liberal Democrat Walter M. Pierce, Olcott opposed the Compulsory Public Education Act, a ballot measure supported by Pierce and the Klan which would have forced all children in Oregon to attend public schools and shut down private schools (especially Catholic schools) from operating.[3] During the campaign, he received the support and endorsement of future Republican U.S. senator Charles McNary.[4][5] However, Olcott was defeated in the general election by fifteen percentage points.[6] The measure was also approved, though later deemed unconstitutional.[7]
References
- ↑ Ku Klux Klan. The Oregon History Project. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ Gov. Ben Olcott. National Governors Association. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Proclamation Against the Ku Klux Klan, 1922. The Oregon History Project. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ Charles L. McNary (1874-1944). Oregon Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ FascinatingPolitics (July 31, 2021). Charles McNary: A Steady Captain in Stormy Waters. Mad Politics: The Bizarre, Fascinating, and Unknown of American Political History. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ OR Governor Race - Nov 07, 1922. Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
- ↑ From W.R. Burner to Governor Olcott, 1923. The Oregon History Project. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
External links
- Profile at Find a Grave