James B. A. Robertson
Encyclopedia
James Brooks Ayers Robertson (March 15, 1871 – March 7, 1938), sometimes called J. B. A. Robertson, was an American lawyer who served as the fourth governor of Oklahoma
.
, James Brooks Ayers Robertson was born in Keokuk County, Iowa
on March 15, 1871, to a father of the same name from Pennsylvania
and Clara Robertson from Ohio
. In the early 1850s, both of Robertson’s parents moved to Iowa, where Robertson's father served as a volunteer soldier in the Union
army during the American Civil War
. Robertson’s Iowa upbringing would instill in him firm progressive
attitudes.
The fifth child born to a family of six sons and five daughters, Robertson was educated in the Iowa public school system. Working hard to improve himself, Robertson became a licensed teacher when he was only 16. While teaching, he was privately studying law and the legal system, and he passed the Iowa bar exam in 1892 at the age of 21. The following year, Robertson moved to Chandler
in Oklahoma Territory
.
on September 28, 1891 and the administrative center
of Lincoln County
needed leaders in all aspects of municipal government. Seizing the opportunity, Robertson set up teaching and practicing law in the fledgling city. His popularity throughout Lincoln County easily won him the office of county attorney
, the chief legal officer of the county. While in Chandler, Robertson met Olive Stubblefield, whom he would marry in 1898. They had two children: Olive Frances and a boy named after his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, James Brooks Ayers Robertson IV (referred to as James Brooks Ayers Robertson Jr.).
Robertson's reputation attracted a wide variety of clients. He became known as one of the most resourceful trial lawyers and legal counselors in the Oklahoma and Indian
territories. In 1906, Robertson became a partner in Hoffman and Robertson, a law firm he practiced with for the next two years.
Oklahoma was admitted to the Union as a state in 1907. The first governor of Oklahoma
, Charles N. Haskell
, recognized Robertson's abilities and named him to the District Court of the Tenth Judicial District of Oklahoma in 1908. The job required Robertson to move from Chandler to Oklahoma City
, where he spent the rest of his years.
Before his appointment to the court, Robertson played an active role in the Oklahoma and national Democratic parties. Robertson was one of the most prominent, influential, and courageous Democrats in Oklahoma. He offered to help any Democratic candidate in any way he could. On a trip with Governor Haskell to Denver, Robertson represented the Oklahoma Democratic Party. Robertson zealously supported the Democratic nomination of William Jennings Bryan
for the presidency
.
Robertson continued to serve as a judge in the Oklahoma judiciary until Governor Haskell, now his friend, did not seek re-election in 1910. Resigning his seat on the court to run for governor, Robertson ultimately withdrew from the Democratic primary to support Lee Cruce
, who went on to win the party’s nomination and the governorship.
Not satisfied with returning to private life, Robertson ran for Congress. The 1910 Federal Census
had resulted in Oklahoma being granted three seats in the United States Congress
, tempting him to run in the Democratic primary for his district's seat, but failed to receive the party’s nomination.
Robertson returned to private law practice in Oklahoma City. However, in 1914, Governor Cruce, like Haskell before him, decided not to run for a second term. Once again, Robertson tried to get the Democratic nomination for governor, but the popular former Chief Justice of Oklahoma
Robert L. Williams
won it instead.
Robertson’s beloved wife Olive died on June 1, 1914, leaving Robertson to raise their two children.
. Governor Haskell's popularity and policies had weakened the Republicans, so they posed little threat to Robertson. However, in 1910 a new party had appeared in Oklahoma politics: the Socialist Party of America
. Vastly powerful and widely accepted, the Socialist Party during this time was more powerful in Oklahoma than in New York.
For the first time in Oklahoma’s history, the two major parties were joined by a third party
in the contest for governor. Three candidates were running for Governor: Democrat Robertson, Republican Horace G. McKeever, and Socialist
Patrick Nagle. A major factor in the election turned out to be the infamous Green Corn Rebellion
of 1917, which the Socialist Party had helped cause, thus making the Socialists appear to be unpatriotic. Robertson won in a landslide, and his fellow Democrats won considerable majorities in both the Oklahoma House of Representatives
and Oklahoma Senate
.
and women's suffrage
.
Among Robertson's accomplishments was the creation of the office of Oklahoma Commissioner of Pensions. He also established cooperative marketing agencies to serve the state’s farmers, who had been hit hard by agricultural overproduction caused by the needs of World War I. Robertson also ushered a bill through the legislature providing for the addition of over 1,300 miles of paved roads, more than had been paved in all three previous administrations.
Partly using his experience as a teacher, Robertson also focused on improving Oklahoma’s school system. First, he worked to change how colleges operated in Oklahoma. Before his administration, colleges had been supervised by the State Board of Education under the State School Superintendent. Under Robertson, the governor's power over colleges increased with the creation of a Board of State Regents
, its members appointed by the governor, to oversee all institutions of higher education. In his budgets, Robertson also funded improvements in teacher certification, higher standards for school performance and accreditation, consolidation of many rural schools, and institution of a subsidized textbook program. He also wanted more money for schools with apparent inadequacies, but this measure was rejected by the legislature.
Robertson also had setbacks. His administration's work on Oklahoma’s highways was a vast improvement to what the state had had but was nowhere near what was needed. He failed to get voter support for $50 million in necessary highway improvements. The Bank Guaranty Program Governor Haskell had instituted collapsed following Oklahoma’s recession in 1920, resulting in the closure of many state banks. Although the Socialist Party was no longer a political threat, it advocated strikes. In 1919, telephone workers struck in Drumright, Oklahoma
, and eastern Oklahoma experienced a massive strike of coal miners. Governor Robertson, in his position as Commander-in-Chief
, declared martial law
in these regions.
Robertson’s administration saw the worst race relations in Oklahoma’s history. To help confront this issue, Robertson created a commission on racial relations composed of both white and black members. This did little to stem the effects of racism. The most infamous case of racism occurred in 1921, when the city of Tulsa
experienced a race riot
unparalleled in Oklahoma before or since. During the 16 hours of rioting, over 800 people were admitted to local hospitals with injuries, an estimated 10,000 were left homeless, 35 city blocks with 1,256 residences were destroyed by fire, and $1.8 million in property damage (nearly $17 million after adjustment for inflation). Robertson finally regained control by once again declaring martial law and sending in the Oklahoma National Guard
to police the area and end the chaos. The riot affected Oklahoma for generations to come, promoting nativism
, creating fear of the radical left
, and allowing the growth of the Ku Klux Klan
for the first time in Oklahoma.
To make matters worse politically, under Robertson’s guard the Democrats lost complete control of the Oklahoma Legislature. Following the 1920 midterm elections, the Republicans gained control of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
. Also, the U.S. presidency shifted from Democrat Woodrow Wilson
to Republican Warren G. Harding
. Oklahoma also lost its Democratic U.S. senator, Thomas Gore
, who was replaced by John W. Harreld
, the first Republican from Oklahoma to serve in the United States Senate
. Robertson was left with a divided legislature, and he could not steer the legislature to pass his proposed policies for the remaining two years of his term.
Scandals would haunt Robertson’s remaining time as governor. Disputes between the Republican House and Democratic Senate resulted in the House’s investigation of the executive branch, most notably Governor Robertson himself. Many Democratic leaders were impeached, among them Lieutenant Governor
Martin E. Trapp
. As in the case of Governor Lee Cruce
before him, the House came within only one vote of impeaching Robertson.
Harder times were still ahead for Robertson when in 1921 the House adjourned without voting on appropriation bills. This forced Robertson to operate the government on deficit spending
until he called a special session of the legislature to resolve the issue. Robertson also faced considerable opposition from the Republican Corporation Commissioner Campbell Russell, who exposed what the Republicans believed to be a scandal in Robertson’s handling of pardon
s and paroles.
With the inauguration of John C. Walton
as the fifth governor, Robertson left office on January 8, 1923.
justice, and for U.S. senator, but he never held another political office, appointed or elected.
Robertson died of cancer on March 7, 1938 in Oklahoma City. He was buried in his adoptive hometown of Chandler in Oak Park Cemetery.
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
.
Early life
Born in Keokuk County, IowaKeokuk County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,511 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,931 housing units, of which 4,408 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, James Brooks Ayers Robertson was born in Keokuk County, Iowa
Keokuk County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,511 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,931 housing units, of which 4,408 were occupied.-2000 census:...
on March 15, 1871, to a father of the same name from Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
and Clara Robertson from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. In the early 1850s, both of Robertson’s parents moved to Iowa, where Robertson's father served as a volunteer soldier in the Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
army during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Robertson’s Iowa upbringing would instill in him firm progressive
Progressivism in the United States
Progressivism in the United States is a broadly based reform movement that reached its height early in the 20th century and is generally considered to be middle class and reformist in nature. It arose as a response to the vast changes brought by modernization, such as the growth of large...
attitudes.
The fifth child born to a family of six sons and five daughters, Robertson was educated in the Iowa public school system. Working hard to improve himself, Robertson became a licensed teacher when he was only 16. While teaching, he was privately studying law and the legal system, and he passed the Iowa bar exam in 1892 at the age of 21. The following year, Robertson moved to Chandler
Chandler, Oklahoma
Chandler is a city in Lincoln County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 2,842 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Lincoln County and is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area.Chandler is located east of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on U.S...
in Oklahoma Territory
Oklahoma Territory
The Territory of Oklahoma was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 2, 1890, until November 16, 1907, when it was joined with the Indian Territory under a new constitution and admitted to the Union as the State of Oklahoma.-Organization:Oklahoma Territory's...
.
Iowan to Oklahoman
Chandler had been opened via Land RunLand run
Land run usually refers to an historical event in which previously restricted land of the United States was opened for homesteading on a first arrival basis. Some newly opened lands were sold first-come, sold by bid, or won by lottery, or by means other than a run...
on September 28, 1891 and the administrative center
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lincoln County
Lincoln County, Oklahoma
Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population as of 2010 was 34,273. It is part of the Oklahoma City Metropolitan Statistical Area.Its county seat is Chandler....
needed leaders in all aspects of municipal government. Seizing the opportunity, Robertson set up teaching and practicing law in the fledgling city. His popularity throughout Lincoln County easily won him the office of county attorney
County attorney
A county attorney in many areas of the United States is the chief legal officer for a county or local judicial district. It is usually an elected position...
, the chief legal officer of the county. While in Chandler, Robertson met Olive Stubblefield, whom he would marry in 1898. They had two children: Olive Frances and a boy named after his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, James Brooks Ayers Robertson IV (referred to as James Brooks Ayers Robertson Jr.).
Robertson's reputation attracted a wide variety of clients. He became known as one of the most resourceful trial lawyers and legal counselors in the Oklahoma and Indian
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory, also known as the Indian Territories and the Indian Country, was land set aside within the United States for the settlement of American Indians...
territories. In 1906, Robertson became a partner in Hoffman and Robertson, a law firm he practiced with for the next two years.
Oklahoma was admitted to the Union as a state in 1907. The first governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
, Charles N. Haskell
Charles N. Haskell
Charles Nathaniel Haskell was an American lawyer, oilman, and statesman who served as the first Governor of Oklahoma. Haskell played a crucial role in drafting the Oklahoma Constitution as well as Oklahoma's statehood and admission into the United States as the 46th state in 1907...
, recognized Robertson's abilities and named him to the District Court of the Tenth Judicial District of Oklahoma in 1908. The job required Robertson to move from Chandler to Oklahoma City
Oklahoma city
Oklahoma City is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma.Oklahoma City may also refer to:*Oklahoma City metropolitan area*Downtown Oklahoma City*Uptown Oklahoma City*Oklahoma City bombing*Oklahoma City National Memorial...
, where he spent the rest of his years.
Before his appointment to the court, Robertson played an active role in the Oklahoma and national Democratic parties. Robertson was one of the most prominent, influential, and courageous Democrats in Oklahoma. He offered to help any Democratic candidate in any way he could. On a trip with Governor Haskell to Denver, Robertson represented the Oklahoma Democratic Party. Robertson zealously supported the Democratic nomination of William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
for the presidency
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Robertson continued to serve as a judge in the Oklahoma judiciary until Governor Haskell, now his friend, did not seek re-election in 1910. Resigning his seat on the court to run for governor, Robertson ultimately withdrew from the Democratic primary to support Lee Cruce
Lee Cruce
Lee Cruce was the second Governor of Oklahoma. Running against Charles N. Haskell in 1907 in the Democratic primaries, Lee would not receive the party's nomination for Oklahoma's first Governor...
, who went on to win the party’s nomination and the governorship.
Not satisfied with returning to private life, Robertson ran for Congress. The 1910 Federal Census
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
had resulted in Oklahoma being granted three seats in the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, tempting him to run in the Democratic primary for his district's seat, but failed to receive the party’s nomination.
Robertson returned to private law practice in Oklahoma City. However, in 1914, Governor Cruce, like Haskell before him, decided not to run for a second term. Once again, Robertson tried to get the Democratic nomination for governor, but the popular former Chief Justice of Oklahoma
Oklahoma Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....
Robert L. Williams
Robert L. Williams
Robert Lee Williams was an American lawyer, judge, and politician who served as the third Governor of Oklahoma. Williams would also play a role in the drafting of the Oklahoma Constitution...
won it instead.
Robertson’s beloved wife Olive died on June 1, 1914, leaving Robertson to raise their two children.
Campaign for governor
Finally, Robertson’s persistence paid off. In 1918, seeking the Democratic gubernatorial nomination for the third consecutive time, Robertson defeated the colorful and popular "Alfalfa Bill" MurrayWilliam H. Murray
William Henry Davis "Alfalfa Bill" Murray was an American teacher, lawyer, and politician who became active in Oklahoma before statehood as legal adviser to Governor Douglas H. Johnston of the Chickasaw Nation...
. Governor Haskell's popularity and policies had weakened the Republicans, so they posed little threat to Robertson. However, in 1910 a new party had appeared in Oklahoma politics: the Socialist Party of America
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
. Vastly powerful and widely accepted, the Socialist Party during this time was more powerful in Oklahoma than in New York.
For the first time in Oklahoma’s history, the two major parties were joined by a third party
Third party (United States)
The term third party is used in the United States for any and all political parties in the United States other than one of the two major parties . The term can also refer to independent politicians not affiliated with any party at all and to write-in candidates.The United States has had a...
in the contest for governor. Three candidates were running for Governor: Democrat Robertson, Republican Horace G. McKeever, and Socialist
Socialist Party of America
The Socialist Party of America was a multi-tendency democratic-socialist political party in the United States, formed in 1901 by a merger between the three-year-old Social Democratic Party of America and disaffected elements of the Socialist Labor Party which had split from the main organization...
Patrick Nagle. A major factor in the election turned out to be the infamous Green Corn Rebellion
Green Corn Rebellion
The Green Corn Rebellion was an armed uprising which took place in rural Oklahoma on August 2 and 3, 1917. The uprising was a reaction by radicalized European-American, tenant farmers, Seminoles, Muscogee Creeks and African-Americans to an attempt to enforce the Selective Draft Act of 1917 and was...
of 1917, which the Socialist Party had helped cause, thus making the Socialists appear to be unpatriotic. Robertson won in a landslide, and his fellow Democrats won considerable majorities in both the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
and Oklahoma Senate
Oklahoma Senate
The Oklahoma Senate is the upper house of the two houses of the Legislature of Oklahoma, the other being the Oklahoma House of Representatives. The total number of Senators is set at 48 by the Oklahoma Constitution....
.
Governor of Oklahoma
Robertson was inaugurated on January 13, 1919, as Oklahoma's fourth governor. He was very soon faced with two national issues: nationwide prohibitionProhibition
Prohibition of alcohol, often referred to simply as prohibition, is the practice of prohibiting the manufacture, transportation, import, export, sale, and consumption of alcohol and alcoholic beverages. The term can also apply to the periods in the histories of the countries during which the...
and women's suffrage
Women's suffrage
Women's suffrage or woman suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or...
.
- Under Governor Haskell, Oklahoma had already adopted a firm policy against alcohol. Robertson worked to build on Haskell's policies, leading Oklahoma to overwhelmingly ratify the Eighteenth AmendmentEighteenth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe Eighteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution established Prohibition in the United States. The separate Volstead Act set down methods of enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment, and defined which "intoxicating liquors" were prohibited, and which were excluded from prohibition...
, which was added to the United States ConstitutionUnited States ConstitutionThe Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
on January 16, 1919. - Written with progressivism in mind, Oklahoma’s constitution enshrined the right to vote for all races and both women and men. Robertson had to do little convincing for Oklahoma to ratify the Nineteenth AmendmentNineteenth Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any United States citizen to be denied the right to vote based on sex. It was ratified on August 18, 1920....
, which became part of the national Constitution on August 18, 1920.
Among Robertson's accomplishments was the creation of the office of Oklahoma Commissioner of Pensions. He also established cooperative marketing agencies to serve the state’s farmers, who had been hit hard by agricultural overproduction caused by the needs of World War I. Robertson also ushered a bill through the legislature providing for the addition of over 1,300 miles of paved roads, more than had been paved in all three previous administrations.
Partly using his experience as a teacher, Robertson also focused on improving Oklahoma’s school system. First, he worked to change how colleges operated in Oklahoma. Before his administration, colleges had been supervised by the State Board of Education under the State School Superintendent. Under Robertson, the governor's power over colleges increased with the creation of a Board of State Regents
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education is the agency of the government of Oklahoma that serves as the governing body of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, which is the largest provider of higher education in the state of Oklahoma...
, its members appointed by the governor, to oversee all institutions of higher education. In his budgets, Robertson also funded improvements in teacher certification, higher standards for school performance and accreditation, consolidation of many rural schools, and institution of a subsidized textbook program. He also wanted more money for schools with apparent inadequacies, but this measure was rejected by the legislature.
Robertson also had setbacks. His administration's work on Oklahoma’s highways was a vast improvement to what the state had had but was nowhere near what was needed. He failed to get voter support for $50 million in necessary highway improvements. The Bank Guaranty Program Governor Haskell had instituted collapsed following Oklahoma’s recession in 1920, resulting in the closure of many state banks. Although the Socialist Party was no longer a political threat, it advocated strikes. In 1919, telephone workers struck in Drumright, Oklahoma
Drumright, Oklahoma
Drumright is a city in Creek and Payne counties in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The population was 2,905 at the 2000 census.-History:The town sprang up nearly overnight in 1912 after wildcatter Tom Slick struck oil on the farm of Frank Wheeler, causing a rush of speculators, oilfield workers, and...
, and eastern Oklahoma experienced a massive strike of coal miners. Governor Robertson, in his position as Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
, declared martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
in these regions.
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
experienced a race riot
Tulsa Race Riot
The Tulsa race riot was a large-scale racially motivated conflict, May 31 - June 1st 1921, between the white and black communities of Tulsa, Oklahoma, in which the wealthiest African-American community in the United States, the Greenwood District also known as 'The Negro Wall St' was burned to the...
unparalleled in Oklahoma before or since. During the 16 hours of rioting, over 800 people were admitted to local hospitals with injuries, an estimated 10,000 were left homeless, 35 city blocks with 1,256 residences were destroyed by fire, and $1.8 million in property damage (nearly $17 million after adjustment for inflation). Robertson finally regained control by once again declaring martial law and sending in the Oklahoma National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
to police the area and end the chaos. The riot affected Oklahoma for generations to come, promoting nativism
Nativism (politics)
Nativism favors the interests of certain established inhabitants of an area or nation as compared to claims of newcomers or immigrants. It may also include the re-establishment or perpetuation of such individuals or their culture....
, creating fear of the radical left
Far left
Far left, also known as the revolutionary left, radical left and extreme left are terms which refer to the highest degree of leftist positions among left-wing politics...
, and allowing the growth of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
for the first time in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma House of Representatives
The Oklahoma House of Representatives is the lower house of the Oklahoma Legislature, the legislative body of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Its members are responsible for introducing and voting on bills and resolutions, providing legislative oversight for state agencies, and helping to craft the...
. Also, the U.S. presidency shifted from Democrat Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
to Republican Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
. Oklahoma also lost its Democratic U.S. senator, Thomas Gore
Thomas Gore
Thomas Gore was a Democratic politician. He was blind and served as a United States Senator from Oklahoma from 1907 until 1921 and from 1931 until 1937. He was the maternal grandfather of author Gore Vidal.-Life and career:...
, who was replaced by John W. Harreld
John W. Harreld
John William Harreld was a United States Representative and Senator from Oklahoma. Harreld was the first Republican senator elected in Oklahoma and represented a shift in Oklahoma politics.-Early life and career:...
, the first Republican from Oklahoma to serve in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. Robertson was left with a divided legislature, and he could not steer the legislature to pass his proposed policies for the remaining two years of his term.
Scandals would haunt Robertson’s remaining time as governor. Disputes between the Republican House and Democratic Senate resulted in the House’s investigation of the executive branch, most notably Governor Robertson himself. Many Democratic leaders were impeached, among them Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
The Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma is the second-highest executive official of the state government of Oklahoma. As first in the gubernatorial line of succession, the Lieutenant Governor becomes the new Governor of Oklahoma upon the death, resignation, or removal of the Governor...
Martin E. Trapp
Martin E. Trapp
Martin Edwin Trapp was an American politician who served as the first Oklahoma State Auditor under Governor Charles N. Haskell. Later, Trapp served as the third Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma from 1915 to 1923. When Governor John C...
. As in the case of Governor Lee Cruce
Lee Cruce
Lee Cruce was the second Governor of Oklahoma. Running against Charles N. Haskell in 1907 in the Democratic primaries, Lee would not receive the party's nomination for Oklahoma's first Governor...
before him, the House came within only one vote of impeaching Robertson.
Harder times were still ahead for Robertson when in 1921 the House adjourned without voting on appropriation bills. This forced Robertson to operate the government on deficit spending
Deficit spending
Deficit spending is the amount by which a government, private company, or individual's spending exceeds income over a particular period of time, also called simply "deficit," or "budget deficit," the opposite of budget surplus....
until he called a special session of the legislature to resolve the issue. Robertson also faced considerable opposition from the Republican Corporation Commissioner Campbell Russell, who exposed what the Republicans believed to be a scandal in Robertson’s handling of pardon
Pardon
Clemency means the forgiveness of a crime or the cancellation of the penalty associated with it. It is a general concept that encompasses several related procedures: pardoning, commutation, remission and reprieves...
s and paroles.
With the inauguration of John C. Walton
John C. Walton
John Calloway “Jack” Walton was an American politician and the fifth Governor of Oklahoma. Walton would serve the shortest term of any Governor of Oklahoma, being the first Governor in the state’s history to be removed from office.-Early life:John Calloway Walton was born on March 6, 1881, in...
as the fifth governor, Robertson left office on January 8, 1923.
Late life and legacy
As a private citizen, Robertson resumed practicing law. Following his leave from office, Robertson, along with some 30 current and former state officials, was charged with bribery in a bank scandal. He was acquitted, but the episode likely ended his political career. He ran for governor again, for Oklahoma Supreme CourtOklahoma Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Oklahoma is one of the two highest judicial bodies in the U.S. state of Oklahoma and leads the Oklahoma Court System, the judicial branch of the government of Oklahoma....
justice, and for U.S. senator, but he never held another political office, appointed or elected.
Robertson died of cancer on March 7, 1938 in Oklahoma City. He was buried in his adoptive hometown of Chandler in Oak Park Cemetery.