View source for Martin E. Trapp

{{short description|American politician}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name=Martin Edwin Trapp
|image= MartinETrapp.jpg
|caption=
|order=6th
|office= Governor of Oklahoma
|term_start= November 19, 1923
|term_end= January 10, 1927
|lieutenant= ''Vacant''
|predecessor= [[Jack C. Walton|John C. Walton]]
|successor= [[Henry S. Johnston]]
|order2=3rd
|office2=Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma
|term_start2=January 11, 1915
|term_end2=November 19, 1923
|governor2=John C. Walton
|predecessor2=[[J. J. McAlester]]
|successor2=[[William J. Holloway]]
|order3=1st
|office3=Oklahoma State Auditor
|term_start3=November 16, 1907
|term_end3=January 9, 1911
|preceded3='''new office'''
|succeeded3=[[Leo Meyer (politician)|Leo Meyer]]
|birth_date= {{Birth date|1877|4|18|mf=y}}
|birth_place= [[Robinson, Kansas]], US
|death_date= {{death date and age|1951|7|26|1877|4|18|mf=y}}
|death_place= [[Oklahoma City]], Oklahoma, US
|spouse= {{marriage|[[Lula Celia Strang Trapp|Lula Celia Strang]]|1907}}
|profession=[[Teacher]], [[politician]]
|party= [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]]
}}

'''Martin Edwin Trapp''' (April 18, 1877 – July 26, 1951) was an American state auditor, governor and lieutenant governor of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Oklahoma]]. Oklahoma's third [[Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma|lieutenant governor]], he was the first to become governor not through an election but instead due to the previous governor's [[Impeachment in the United States|impeachment]] and removal from office.

Trapp served as the first [[Oklahoma State Auditor|state auditor]] and [[Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma|third lieutenant governor of Oklahoma]]. When Governor [[Jack C. Walton|Jack Walton]] was impeached and removed from office, Trapp became the sixth governor of Oklahoma. As governor, he was responsible for the establishment of a state bureau of investigation, conservation programs, and his attempts to abolish the Ku Klux Klan. He began his political career serving as the county clerk of [[Logan County, Oklahoma|Logan County]] in [[Oklahoma Territory]].

Trapp died in 1951 and is buried in Fairlawn Cemetery in Oklahoma City.

==Early life==
[[Image:HASKELL, C.N. GOVERNOR LCCN2016858937 (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|150px|Trapp served as state auditor under Governor [[Charles N. Haskell]].]]
Martin Edwin Trapp was born in [[Robinson, Kansas]], on April 18, 1877. Martin would spend the first twelve years of his life in Kansas until 1889. Following the [[Land Run of 1889]], Trapp's father moved his entire family to [[Logan County, Oklahoma|Logan County]] to a claim just seven miles west of [[Guthrie, Oklahoma|Guthrie]]. Trapp would not attend public school as [[Oklahoma Territory]] possessed none. Instead, he was educated almost entirely by association and study with a neighbor by the last name of McDaniel. Trapp worked at a local newspaper while gaining his education. He also worked at the age of 21 as a certified teacher and later as a traveling salesman.

Trapp began his political career in 1904 when he ran on the [[United States Democratic Party|Democratic]] ticket for the Logan County [[county clerk]], an office he would hold from 1905 to 1907. On November 16, 1907, Oklahoma Territory officially became the [[U.S. state]] of [[Oklahoma]]. Trapp left county government behind him and would [[1907 Oklahoma elections#State Auditor|run for, and be elected]], Oklahoma's first [[Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector|state auditor]]. Trapp served under [[Charles N. Haskell]], the first [[Governor of Oklahoma]], from 1907 to 1911. After his term as state auditor, Trapp moved to [[Muskogee, Oklahoma]], where he would set up a [[Bond (finance)|bond business]].

Trapp made a return to Oklahoma politics in 1914 when the Democrats nominated him to serve as the [[Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma]]. Replacing outgoing Lieutenant Governor John A Greer, Trapp would be elected to his new office for three consecutive terms, in 1914, 1918, and for an unprecedented third term in 1922, winning all three elections with considerable margin, 60.8% in 1922 being his best result.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=453063|title=Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor - Nov 07, 1922|publisher=|accessdate=11 July 2018}}</ref> Though, he experienced sort of luck in his first election, when with 104,285 votes (42.9%) he won a risky vote over Republican candidate Eugene Lawson (80,419; 33.1%) and Socialist candidate George Hamilton (53,072; 21.9%).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=555743|title=Our Campaigns - OK Lt. Governor - Nov 03, 1914|publisher=|accessdate=11 July 2018}}</ref> As the lieutenant governor, Trapp would serve under governors [[Robert L. Williams]], [[James B. A. Robertson]], and [[John C. Walton]]. Trapp would only serve for the first 11 months of his third term. On October 23, following [[impeachment]] charges against Walton, Trapp became the acting governor. Walton was found guilty by the [[Oklahoma Senate]] in its role as the [[Government of Oklahoma#The Court of Impeachment|Court of Impeachment]] on November 19, 1923. Following the [[Oklahoma Constitution]], Trapp immediately left the office of lieutenant governor to be inaugurated as the sixth governor of Oklahoma.

==Governor of Oklahoma==
[[Image:President Theodore Roosevelt, 1904.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Like [[Theodore Roosevelt]], Trapp was a pioneer of conservation programs.]]
Becoming the first lieutenant governor to assume the office of governor in the state's history, Trapp was Walton's opposite. Whereas Walton had been progressive and aggressive, Trapp was quiet and conservative. Top on the new governor's to-do list was trimming the state's budget to provide for a more efficient state government. Immediately upon coming into office, Trapp called the [[Oklahoma Legislature]] into special session to address the issue. An investigation of many state offices, commissions, and departments soon followed. In true conservative form, Trapp removed many state organizations that were, in his opinion, of little use to Oklahoma and provided much needed reorganization of the inflated state government.

Trapp succeeded in having the state legislature repeal over $10,000,000 in expenditures that Walton had set up, thus restoring the state's credit. This also meant repealing the state's new free textbook program and a one-third reduction in the funds spent on school aid. Through the use of a three cent [[gasoline tax]], Trapp raised enough funds to finance Oklahoma's first Highway Commission. This commission oversaw Oklahoma's much needed highway construction program.

Following a growth national trend started by [[President of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Theodore Roosevelt]] in 1907, Trapp began a program of conservation. Trapp created the [[Oklahoma Department of Agriculture|Oklahoma Forestry Commission]], the [[Oklahoma Conservation Commission]], and the [[Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation|Oklahoma Fish and Game Commission]] out of his desire to preserve the environment. Trapp expanded the term lengths of county offices from two years to four, enacted a state [[drainage law]] to protect the state from floods, and raised the cost of licenses in the state.

Trapp also proved to be an effective law enforcement officer. For the first time in the state's history, a [[Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation|State Bureau of Criminal Investigation]] was established in 1925 from pressure from Trapp's administration. Trapp asked the Legislature for harsher punishment and stricter enforcement of prohibition, which he received. Trapp also tackled the growing power of the [[Ku Klux Klan]] by passing an [[Anti-mask laws|anti-mask]] law which eventually reduced the group's power.

==Ineligibility for reelection==
Throughout his term, Trapp had viewed his position as "acting governor", and not the actual governor. Throughout his term, Trapp had proved a capable administrator and had become widely popular, with many agreeing that Trapp should seek retention in office. This proved to be a problem for Trapp when he desired to seek reelection in the fall of 1926. State law had forbidden the governor from succeeding himself, and thus Trapp was ineligible for reelection. Trapp insisted that the law did not apply to him since he had been elected lieutenant governor and succeeded to the governorship only upon the impeachment and removal from office of [[John C. Walton]].

The [[Oklahoma Supreme Court]] investigated the issue. On June 6, 1926, the court ruled on the case ''Fitzpatrick v. McAlister'', which stated that Trapp was '''"the governor for the simple reason that he governs. He governs officially for the reason that section 16 expressly vests him with authority to do so. Therefore he is the official governor, and, being the official governor, he is rendered ineligible to succeed himself by the inhibition contained in section 4, art. 6, of the Constitution."''' Thus, Trapp was ineligible to run for reelection.

Trapp officially ended his term in office on January 10, 1927, with the inauguration of [[Henry S. Johnston]] as the seventh governor of Oklahoma.

==Death and legacy==
After finishing his term as governor, Trapp would continue to play a key role in the [[Oklahoma Democratic Party]] even though he would never hold another political office. Trapp did campaign for the governor's office again in 1930, but did not receive the party's nomination, losing it to the colorful and popular [[William H. Murray]]. Moving back to Oklahoma City, Trapp would spend the rest of his life as a dealer of investment securities.<ref name="bio_note">[http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/governors/bios/trapp.pdf Biographical Note Martin Trapp] (accessed July 14, 2013)</ref> Trapp died on July 26, 1951, in Oklahoma City at the age of 74.<ref name="bio_note"/> He is buried in Fairlawn Cemetery in Oklahoma City.<ref>[http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/governors/trapp.htm Martin E. Trapp], Governor's Records, Oklahoma Department of Libraries. (accessed July 18, 2013)</ref>

As governor, Trapp left a legacy that included the establishment of the State Bureau of Criminal Investigation, environmental conservation, and victories against the Ku Klux Klan in Oklahoma. He is best remembered as the first lieutenant governor to become governor due to the impeachment and removal of a governor.

==Electoral history==
{{Election box begin | title=1907 Oklahoma State Auditor election<ref name="1907-1912 Results">{{cite web |title=1907-1912 Results |url=https://oklahoma.gov/content/dam/ok/en/elections/election-results/results-prior-to-1980/1907-1912-results.pdf |website=oklahoma.gov |publisher=[[Oklahoma State Election Board]] |access-date=23 September 2023}}</ref>}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link|
 |party = Democratic Party (United States)
 |candidate = Martin E. Trapp
 |votes = 132,590
 |percentage = 54.5
 |change = ''New''
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
 |party = Republican Party (United States)
 |candidate = J.E. Dyche
 |votes = 99,904
 |percentage = 41.1
 |change = ''New''
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link|
 |party = Socialist Party of America
 |candidate = A.B. Davis
 |votes = 10,454
 |percentage = 4.3
|change = ''New''
}}
{{Election box gain with party link|
 |winner = Democratic Party (United States)
 |swing = N/A
}}
{{Election box end}}
{{Election box begin no change
| title= Oklahoma State Treasurer Democratic primary (August 2, 1910)<ref name="1907-1912 Results" />
}}
{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change
| candidate  = [[Robert Dunlop (Oklahoma politician)|Robert Dunlop]]
| party      = Democratic Party (US)
| votes      = 56,348
| percentage = 55.0%
}}
{{Election box candidate with party link no change
| candidate  = Martin E. Trapp 
| party      = Democratic Party (US)
| votes      = 46,233
| percentage = 45.0%
}}
{{Election box turnout no change
| votes      = 102,581
}}
{{Election box end}}

==State of the State Speeches==
*[http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/governors/addresses/trapp1924e.pdf First State of the State Speech]
*[http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/governors/addresses/trapp1925.pdf Second State of the State Speech]
*[http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/governors/addresses/trapp1927.pdf Third State of the State Speech]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/governors/bios/trapp.pdf Governor Martin E. Trapp]
*[http://www.rootsweb.com/~okbits/governors.html Short biographies of all Governors from Territorial to present]
*[http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/governors/trapp.htm State biography of Governor Trapp]

{{start box}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{s-new|first}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector|Auditor of Oklahoma]]|years=1907}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Leo Meyer (politician)|Leo Meyer]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[J. J. McAlester]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma]]|years=1914, 1918, 1922}}
{{s-aft|after=[[William J. Holloway]]}}
{{s-off}}
{{succession box |title=[[Oklahoma State Auditor and Inspector|Oklshoma State Auditor]]| before=None| after= [[Fred Parkinson (Oklahoma politician)|Fred Parkinson]] | years=1907&ndash;1911}}
{{succession box |title=[[Lieutenant Governor of Oklahoma]]| before=[[J. J. McAlester]] | after=[[William J. Holloway]] | years=1915&ndash;1923}}
{{succession box |title=[[Governor of Oklahoma]]| before=[[Jack C. Walton|John C. Walton]]| after=[[Henry S. Johnston]] | years=1923&ndash;1927}}
{{end box}}

{{Governors of Oklahoma}}
{{OKLtGovernors}}
{{Oklahoma State Auditors and Inspectors}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Trapp, Martin}}
[[Category:1877 births]]
[[Category:1951 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Brown County, Kansas]]
[[Category:People from Logan County, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Politicians from Muskogee, Oklahoma]]
[[Category:State auditors of Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Lieutenant governors of Oklahoma]]
[[Category:American Disciples of Christ]]
[[Category:Democratic Party governors of Oklahoma]]
[[Category:Candidates in the 1910 United States elections]]
[[Category:20th-century Oklahoma politicians]]