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Benjamin W. Olcott

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Benjamin Wilson Olcott
Ben Wilson Olcott.jpg
Former Governor of Oregon
From: March 3, 1919 – January 8, 1923
Predecessor James Withycombe
Successor Walter M. Pierce
Former Secretary of State of Oregon
From: April 17, 1911 – May 28, 1920
Predecessor Frank W. Benson
Successor Sam A. Kozer
Information
Party Republican
Spouse(s) Lena Hutton
Religion Protestant[1]

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,[2] Olcott's principled stand against racial and religious bigotry ultimately ended his political career in a era where the KKK heavily influenced state politics.

Political career

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.

Among Olcott's achievements included aerial navigation and forest fire prevention with the help of the United States Army.[1] He also advocated for the development of hard-surface roads and was a conservationist who stated in 1921 to the Oregon Legislature:[3]

“ All of the things we have been striving for, the development of tourist travel; the urge to make and keep our state the most livable in the Union; the desire to keep our children in God’s own environment, surrounded by the beauties to which they are the true heirs, all of these will be surrendered and lost unless we act and act promptly. ”

He was also an advocate for women's suffrage, supporting the Nineteenth Amendment.[4]

Defeat in 1922

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.[5] That year, Olcott, despite holding some nativist viewpoints against Japanese-Americans,[6] stood firmly against KKK violence and issued a proclamation condemning the Klan over three malicious assaults members of the terrorist group perpetrated.[5] He won the GOP nomination over challenger Charles Hall by a narrow margin in late May that year.[7]

During the campaign, Olcott received the support and endorsement of future Republican U.S. senator Charles McNary.[8][9] However, he was defeated in the general election by fifteen percentage points.[10] The ballot measure was also approved, though later deemed unconstitutional.[11]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Olcott, Ben W. (Ben Wilson), 1872-1952. Social Networks and Archival Context. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  2. ↑ Ku Klux Klan. The Oregon History Project. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  3. ↑ Oregon Recreation History: Part Two. Oregon Blue Book. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  4. ↑ January 14, 1920: Oregon Ratifies the Nineteenth Amendment. Oregon Women's Museum Consortium. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Proclamation Against the Ku Klux Klan, 1922. The Oregon History Project. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  6. ↑ Gov. Ben Olcott. National Governors Association. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  7. ↑ May 25, 1922. Olcott Leads Hall by 627 in Oregon.. The New York Times. Archived version available here. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  8. ↑ Charles L. McNary (1874-1944). Oregon Encyclopedia. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  9. ↑ 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.
  10. ↑ OR Governor Race - Nov 07, 1922. Our Campaigns. Retrieved August 4, 2021.
  11. ↑ From W.R. Burner to Governor Olcott, 1923. The Oregon History Project. Retrieved August 4, 2021.

External links