Political Profile
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The Texas Observer An Independent-Liberal Weekly Newspaper A Window to the South Volume 54 TEXAS, JUNE 15, 1962 15c per Copy Number 11 COFFEE AND CARTOONS GOP Vs. GEORGE PARR Political Profile: New Uprising in Duval DUVAL COUNTY DUVAL COUNTY although Duval was still a one- Clarence Schroeder's quiet Texas' ambitious new Re- party county at the time. In No- Harris' Eckhardt bachelor life was altered publican Party and a young vember, a Parr-sponsored "Inde- HOUSTON the most eloquent and persuasive sharply nine months ago when attorney with a score to . settle pendent" candidate was placed on Bob Eckhardt's stocks-in- politicians in the state. he accepted the job as Duval with George Parr are provid- the ballot in opposition to Purcell. trade are a prodigious Texas Maurice Pipkin, a conservative County Republican chairman— ing valuable "foreign aid" in And the late-entering "Independ- hat and one of the thickest legislator from the Valley who sits a position in direct political the latest revolutionary efforts ent"—O. P. Carillo—was elected Southern drawls known • to next to Eckhardt on the back row opposition to a gentleman in Duval County, where Parr over Democratic nominee Purcell, man. Once, when he was cam- of the House, told the Observer named George Parr, the coun- and his father before him have although the county went 12 to 1 paigning in one of Houston's at the height of the pipeline tax ty's Democratic chairman. reigned politically for more for the Democratic Presidential *- big super-markets, a friend controversy last year: "People than 60 years. ticket. of Duval don't see A Duval County Republican or- stopped him and asked, "Eck- here don't agree with Eckhardt Residents County Attorney Carillo, now ganization was formed about a hardt, why the hell do you all the time, but there're very few George Parr in person much these snugly back in the Democratic year ago by leaders of the county's wear that dirty old hat?" Eck- people who don't respect him for days. The aging (about 60) Duke fold, is a key figure in the current hardt replied, "A fellow with what he is. When he gets up to of Duval seems to prefer the se- anti-Parr Freedom Party. At that attempt to squelch the revolution cluded life of affluent bankruptcy time, state Republican leaders a hat like that and a drawl like speak, they listen." His oratorical by disqualifying candidates nomi- this couldn't be a radical." style is calm and logical, punctu- in which he lives with his teen- promised to provide legal help nated in the county Republican age wife, Little Eva, inside the when and if the time ever came primaries this year. "Lincolnesque" is probably the ated with aphorisms and faintly thick, white walls of his sprawling that it was needed. The time came most particularly personal adjec- didactic asides. Reed Quilliam, a hacienda on the outskirts of San last week, when Duval GOP Publicity Exposure tive to describe him. Some of his freshman conservative from Lub- Diego, the seat of government of Chairman Clarence Schroeder, 44, tales should be included in the bock, cast a surprise vote for Eck- "Two things worried George the county many Texans call "The was jailed on a contempt of court next Sandburg anthology. The hardt's pipeline tax at one point Parr about that primary," Pur- Free State of Duval." charge growing out of a grand same unobtrusive in the 1961 session. Someone asked cell told the Observer. "One—Dr. jury investigation of the Republi- sense of humanity is him why in the world, coming Despite his comparative seclu- E. E. Dunlap, one of the most can May 5 primary in the county. beloved and respected men in Du- there, the same from Lubbock, did he do it. "I lis- sion and his official bankruptcy good - natured toler- tened to Eckhardt," Quilliam said, (a condition unofficially denied Schroeder's defense attorney is val County, was nominated on a former Duval countian, Walter the Republican ticket for county ance of its foibles "and he just simply convinced by a long, black, chauffeured car and follies. So is the me." and the heavily-staffed mansion), Purcell, 33, who now lives in Alice judge to oppose his nephew ten miles from the Duval line in Archer Parr. Two—about 3,000 persistent logic of Lobbyists who specialize in tes• Parr was the winning candidate adjcining Jim Wells County. Pur- qualified voters did not show the courtroom law- timony before key committees re- for county Democratic chairman cell won the Democratic run-off up at the polls for the primaries. yer, the delight in gard him rather uneasily. His fa- on May 5. It was the first time for county attorney of Duval That's about half of the county's politics and the po- miliar mode of questioning is pit- in five years he had sought an County in 1960 against a George vote and Parr could smell trouble Eckhardt litical animal. ted with hazards. One afternoon elective office, even though Parr candidate. But 1960 was a brewing for November." At 48 Eckhardt has been in the he took on every major lobbyist George Parr and his late father, Presidential election year and Whatever ' the motivation, re- Texas House a mere two terms. for the pipeline companies at a Archie Parr, have ruled Duval there was balloting in November, (Continued on Page 2) After he had been in and out of tax hearing and plainly bested County as rigidly as monarchs for Austin political circles for a num- them. all. the past 60 years. Their reign has ber of years, in 1959, his first When a lobbyist for a large pa- not been overthrown despite term, the capitol press corps per company warned the House Parr's current bankrupt condi- judged him the "most outstanding tax committee one day that liberal tion, numerous official charges of freshman legislator," an honor taxers had wrecked many another income tax evasion, a prison term, which might have been likened to state, that his company contrib- Parr's habit of pistol whipping Stan Musial's selection as Out- uted considerably more to Texas folks in such public places as the standing Rookie in the same year. than Texas contributed to it, and courthouse lawn, and other go- Many consider him the outstand- that the franchise tax revision ings-on which would place most ing liberal in Texas public affairs would just about drive his firm Texans in disrepute. today. Architect of the open into financial ruin, Eckhardt "The whole mess was almost beaches bill in 1959, one of Texas' asked: solved once and for all not long two or three top authorities on "Mr. Combs, can you tell the ago by a Texas Ranger," a Duval the intricacies of oil and gas tax- committee why your company de- County old-timer said last week. ation, he is without doubt one of cided to come to Texas?" "George Parr pulled a pistol on "What do you mean, Mr. Eck- the Ranger right over there on hardt?" the courthouse steps. The Ranger Grand Jury "Can you tell us why you de- suddenly got the advantage—like cided to locate in Texas rather a Ranger can, you know—and Indicts Bean than, say, Albuquerque, or Wich- was aiming right at George's head ita, Kansas, or Oklahoma City?" and about to pull the trigger when AUSTIN "I don't quite see what you're a lady happened to step out of the El Paso County Judge Wood- driving at." courthouse and jumped between row Bean, the unsuccessful "I wonder," Eckhardt said, "if them." congressman-at-large candidate it had anything to do with water George Parr and Duval County against Joe Pool, was indicted and trees." He proceeded to at- politics received considerable na- this week on five counts of tack big corporations which "come tional attention in 1948 through failure to file income tax re- down here and take our natural publicity given the now-famous turns by a federal grand jury. resources out of our earth, and (Continued on Page 2) SHROEDER IN THE DUVAL JAIL Bean, backed take our water and our trees, and by liberal and use our roads, and send their chil- labor groups dren to our schools, and don't be- during most of gin to give us a proper social pay- the first pri- ment in return." Unique Houston Movement mary campaign, HOUSTON At a GOP rally a candidate for claiming their specific religious admitted when ' That's My Fault information Eckhardt grew up in Austin, Conservative candidates in the legislature who was running loyalties. leaked to the where his father was a prominent Harris County must now pass against a more conservative op- At one of the last Republican ponent in the Republican primary rallies before the primary a can- press two weeks doctor. "He didn't have any ideo- a new test if they are to receive had just finished his speech when before the elec- logical position," Eckhardt says. the blessing of a new group of didate for the legislature, who lost a well-dressed lady in the front Bean "He just wanted to be free—to be religious-political activists who his bid for the nomination, spent row stood up and asked him: several minutes telling the crowd tion that he had not filed an in- his own man." He never paid his call themselves "The Fish." It is no longer enough to con- "Are you a Christian, and if so, come tax since 1952 and told a $25 fee for the special fund to how important it was for a candi- demn as "socialistic" all things what kind of Christian are you?" date to be a 100 percent Christian.