The Oklahoma Bar Journal September 2024

While serving in the Oklahoma Senate, Ms. Looney was chair man of the State and County Affairs Committee, the Prohibition Enforcement Committee and the Agriculture Committee. 35 She also served on the Education, Hospitals and Charities, Penal Institutions, Public Service Corporations and Roads and Highways committees. 36 In 1926, after serving three terms in the state Senate, she con sidered running for lieutenant gov ernor of Oklahoma. Investigating the possibility of winning that election, she decided the courts would sustain the Oklahoma con stitutional requirement that a man hold the office, and she abandoned the race. Realizing that Oklahoma courts and lawmakers had no con trol over federal offices and there were no limitations based on sex, she shocked the political establish ment by announcing her candidacy for the U.S. Senate. 37 Her campaign slogan was, “Let Oklahoma be first and elect one of her qualified and legislative tried women to the U.S. Senate.” 38 Although she was indeed a proven legislator, the newspapers wrote varied comments about her race. “The men of the Democratic Party organization are talking now of trying to get two of the three male candidates to withdraw from the race for U.S. Senator; otherwise they say Ms. Looney may walk away with the nomination.” 39 “Ms. Lamar Looney’s senatorial aspi rations are unlikely to take her to Washington. However this sojourn on the sidelines has taught us that a woman is unlikely to be chosen for any place for which men clamor.” 40 Positive comments also appeared in some papers. “Ms. Looney won respect for her political acumen and legislative judgment while she served in the state Senate.

‘She had an unusually high conception of the duties of a legislator and she served her people with a fidelity that never faltered or weakened. Oklahoma has never had a public servant who tried harder to serve the people well.’

She is not an exponent of freakish measures and her friends say she would grace the U.S. Senate.” 41 “A political observer says to the credit of Ms. Lamar Looney, senatorial aspirant, that she never asks for favors on the grounds that she is a poor defenseless women; which suits us pretty well. Whether a candidate is man or woman has little bearing on fitness for parlia mentary positions. Sex does not determine one’s knowledge of governmental affairs.” 42 After losing her bid for a spot on the ticket for the U.S. Senate, Ms. Looney ran and won her fourth and final term in the Oklahoma Senate in 1927. 43 During her four terms in the Senate, Ms. Looney championed farmers and their need for more roads between cities and counties. Education and schools were also of particular interest to her, and she stood fast in the belief that each district should have the option to vote in favor of enough tax to ensure good schools in the district, with better equipment and instruction. She was interested in making government more efficient and went so far as to suggest that

the number of representatives and senators in the state Legislature be reduced and the costs of govern ment should be reduced by 50%. She was for prohibition, the World Court and the League of Nations. She favored the universal draft, conscription of wealth and prop erty, and manpower. 44 She also believed that Oklahoma held pos sibilities for vast industrial devel opment and encouraged the offer of inducements to industries. 45 Ms. Looney also wanted laws protecting working women and children, along with ways to ensure their strict enforcement. 46 Although she believed in a gener ous policy with soldiers, she said she believed as William Tecumseh Sherman did on the issue of war, “We should exhaust all diplomatic and legal means of avoiding it and then, if we can avoid it only at the cost of honor.” 47 She did believe in the enforcement of the payment of war debts but “was not in favor of playing Santa Claus to the foreign nations.” 48 Her concern for the elderly was seen in her belief that their homes should be exempt from taxation. 49 In the financial arena,

Statements or opinions expressed in the Oklahoma Bar Journal are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Oklahoma Bar Association, its officers, Board of Governors, Board of Editors or staff.

12 | SEPTEMBER 2024

THE OKLAHOMA BAR JOURNAL