The Oregon Encyclopedia calls George Putnam, who purchased the Medford Tribune in 1907, the 鈥渆pitome of the fighting editor.鈥� He took on Jackson County鈥檚 corrupt political machine, and later the Ku Klux Klan鈥檚 unsuccessful attempt to control Oregon politics.
Putnam sold the Medford paper in 1919 to purchase the Salem Capital-Journal, and almost immediately warned that the Klan wanted to become the state鈥檚 political boss, in his words, 鈥渇or the avowed purpose of controlling the coming (primary) election and naming the next governor and legislature.鈥�
Putnam鈥檚 newspaper supported the reelection of Gov. Ben O. Olcott, who said the Klan was 鈥渋nsidiously gaining a foothold in Oregon鈥� by 鈥渟tirring up fanaticism, race hatred, religious prejudice and all of those evil influences鈥︹�� The so-called Emperor of the Invisible Empire of the Ku Klux Klan had flyers distributed door-to-door urging votes for Klan-backed candidates.
Putnam said the Klan had shown more 鈥減ernicious activity鈥� in Medford than any other place in the state. He referred to the kidnapping of three men who in separate incidents were threatened with hanging before being released.
Ultimately, only one candidate on the Klan鈥檚 ticket won nomination.
Sources: Turnbull, George S. 鈥淎n Oregon Crusader: His Fight for Freedom of the Press, His Battle with Bigotry: the Ku Klux Klan, and His Struggle With the Labor Goons.鈥�. Portland, Ore.: Binford and Mort, 1955. Print; McKay, Floyd J. 鈥淕eorge Putnam (1872-1961)." The Oregon Encyclopedia. Oregon Historical Society, 2015. Web. 8 June 2015.
