“One of the most famous Governors in America” and his Quest for a Better State
Alfalfa Bill, “one of the most famous Governors in America,” played a key role in drafting Oklahoma’s constitution and in their successful…
Alfalfa Bill, “one of the most famous Governors in America,” played a key role in drafting Oklahoma’s constitution and in their successful pursuit of statehood (Nourse, 2008, p. 18). He had a unique take on how to reduce crime and conduct politics which from our vantage point seems crazy, even in our political climate.
We must admit, we had no idea who Alfalfa Bill was. In fact, we had never heard his name.- granted, neither of us are American . Nevertheless, his story is worth telling.
Here are some interesting facts about Alfalfa Bill, he was:
An advocate for sterilizing criminals to reduce crime.
Staunchly racist and a segregationist
He was married to a Native American woman — ironic?
Supportive of the creation of a Native-American State.
Known for standing up for the common man.
Trying to create an agricultural utopia in Bolivia.
Who Was Alfalfa Bill?
Henry Davis Murray, known as Alfalfa Bill, was “beloved for his straight talk, [and] his hobo look” ( Nourse, 2008, p. 18). He was born in 1869 and lost his mother two years later. His dad remarried quickly to a fervently religious lady (WKY).
When he was twelve he ran away from home with his siblings because they found their home environment difficult. He continued attending school and graduated. By twenty-two he was a school teacher (1891).
In 1898 Alfalfa Bill moved to Tishomingo, under the Chickasaw Nation where he worked as a lawyer. He met and married the Chickasaw Governor’s niece. Murray built a cabin so he could live with his wife, and children.
He was a voracious reader and was known to read constitutions from many countries and political philosophy to inform his thinking. He favored a literal interpretation of the US Constitution. During this time, he proposed the formation of the State of Sequoyah, a combination of five tribes that sought statehood.
According to a newscast about Murray, Teddy Roosevelt was adamantly against creating a state for Native Americans because he did not want another State that would vote for Democrats (WKY). Despite the lack of prospects for that State, Murray was invited to help draft Oklahoma’s constitution where he became a pivotal figure in their successful pursuit of statehood.
The same report claimed President Teddy Roosevelt (R-New York) found Oklahoma’s proposed constitution rambling, but nevertheless signed it (WKY). Murray was a progressive Democrat. However he supported Jim Crow laws, and segregated schools for blacks.
An Agricultural Utopia: Bolivian Paradise
Murray served two terms in the US Congress as a representative for the new state of Oklahoma. In 1918 he lost the democratic primary race for Governor, and returned to the Chickasaw Nation.
In 1924, he moved to Bolivia, in South America, to establish an agricultural utopia. He convinced twenty-five others to join him. He had leased land there, but the Bolivian authorities eventually canceled the lease. He chose to return to Oklahoma after failing to realize his vision. Never to be deterred, Murray decided to run for Governor one more time.
During the Great Depression Murray campaigned carrying cheese and crackers, vowing to work for poor and underemployed, saying that he would govern for “Oklahoma Indians, niggers, and po’ white folks” (Nourse, 2008, p.19).
Governor Murray: A Tumultuous Time in Office
Murray was elected as the ninth Governor of Oklahoma (1931). He was elected during the Great Depression and the Sandbowl which allowed him to portray himself as a savior.
Once elected, he posted rules about how to interact with him including being brief and not trying to deceive him. Murray’s campaign and his Governorship were very different. Some said he was a demagogue while others claimed he was the greatest champion of the common man (WKY). During the campaign he promised to reduce the number of State workers, not appoint relatives to governmental positions, and to avoid using prison labor.
He broke all three promises (nothing surprising there!).
Murray declared martial law thirty-four times (yes, 34 times) during his term. In one instance he was concerned about the price of oil and ordered producers to limit their production (WKY).
When they did not, he used the national guard to shut them down. Thus, driving prices up. In another case he ordered them to regulate the sale of football tickets (Nourse, 2008, p.20).
In July 1931, he deployed the National Guard and led them onto a bridge that connected Oklahoma to Texas, to fight against its closure. Murray ordered his troops to take the guns from the Texans guarding the bridge.
During this standoff, a judge ruled against Oklahoma, but this did not deter Alfalfa Bill. He got the decision turned over by the circuit court (WKY).
Murray was said to hate comedian and movie star Will Rogers who had led the project to unveil the statue. Thus, he ordered it to be covered with a tarpaulin which was stolen. Murray offerred a reward for the tarpaulin.
Murray attended the Democratic Convention in Chicago in 1932 where he made a bid for the presidential nomination. Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt (D-New York) defeated him. After this, Murray became critical of New Deal policies (which he had supported before). Thereafter, Murray supported the Republican candidate in Oklahoma who lost, and Murray also lost in his bid to extend his Governorship.
Murray’s Views on Crime & Race
At the dawn of the 20th century “most respected” scientists thought “crime, mental illness, and even poverty might be traced to genes.” (Nouse, 2008, p.19)
Murray thought pauperism was a disease (Nourse, 2008, p.82). Some twenty-seven states passed sterilization laws which aimed to stop the spread of so-called biologically inferior people (Nourse, 2008, p.20). Since 1931, Murray staunchly supported sterilizing criminals.
He proposed a bill which called for the sterilization of people “afflicted with hereditary forms of insanity” including “idiocy, imbecility, feeblemindedness, or epilepsy.” (Nourse, 2008, p.20) Murray wanted to use this law against habitual criminals.
Similar legislation across the country had targeted criminals since the first decade of the century (Nourse, 2008, p. 20). He thought sterilization was compassionate as it would prevent suffering and crime (Nouse, 2088, p.21), as well as other benefits.
Murray hoped that a strict sterilization policy would frighten off criminals who would consequently move to other States (Nourse, 2008, p.23, 80). He discussed the case of a felon in Georgia who did not want to be sent to Oklahoma for fear of being sterilized.
Allegedly, this felon asked for the highest penalty to avoid being sent to Georgia where they may be sterilized. Even if true, this alleged benefit does not address crime but merely pushes it into a different State.
Murray argued that sterilization could alleviate the overcrowded prisons and asylums. The State would not have to worry about inmates propagating their kind (Nourse, 2008, p.23). Under their understanding these people would otherwise beget many children who in turn would also need institutionalization.
The infamous Buck v. Bell US Supreme Court case removed any apprehension state legislatures may have had about sterilization bills. In Buck v. Bell, the US Supreme Court ruled States could force the sterilization of citizens in 1927 (Nourse, 2008, p.24).
Enthusiasm for sterilizing criminals continued after Murray left office. For example, Dr Louis Henry, a state senator, submitted the Oklahoma Habitual Criminal Sterilization Act. Oddly, before Murray’s Governorship ended he appeared soft on crime since he had pardoned many criminals.
Conclusions
Murray supported segregation and wanted laws that would make it illegal for black people to marry people of other races.
His support for segregation, his efforts to stop interracial marriages, and his eagerness to sterilize criminals were an effort to “give society a citizenship of pure blood and strong, law abiding minds.”
Many of his contemporaries would have agreed. Concerns about the biological quality of Americans drove the passage of the most restrictive immigration act in American history. It appears that these were genuine attempts to make a more perfect union.
In the early twentieth century many politicians and other thinkers embraced technological, scientific, and medical ideas that appeared convincing to them so they could craft a better society. In some cases, the implementation of these ideas had disastrous consequences.
Authors: Christian Orlic & Lucas Heili
Sources
Nourse, V.F.2008. In Reckless Hands_ Skinner v. Oklahoma and the Near Triumph of American Eugenics. Norton and Company, New York.
Great material here about a fascinating figure who seems lost to history! It always seems shocking to read how respectable eugenics used to be, but perhaps it’s worth remembering that people in the early twentieth century didn’t have the benefit if the hindsight we enjoy today. You’ve got to wonder how awful our own criminal-justice system is going to look to criminologists in a hundred years’ time…