The Texas Observer APRIL 17, 1964
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The Texas Observer APRIL 17, 1964 A Journal of Free Voices A Window to The South 25c A Photograph Sen. Ralph Yarborough • • •RuBy ss eII lee we can be sure. Let us therefore recall, as we enter this crucial fortnight, what we iciaJ gen. Jhere know about Ralph Yarborough. We know that he is a good man. Get to work for Ralph Yarborough! That is disputed, for some voters will choose to We know that he is courageous. He has is the unmistakable meaning of the front believe the original report. not done everything liberals wanted him to page of the Dallas Morning News last Sun- Furthermore, we know, from listening to as quickly as we'd hoped, but in the terms day. The reactionary power structure is Gordon McLendon, that he is the low- of today's issues and the realities in Texas, out to get Sen. Yarborough, and they will, downest political fighter in Texas politics he has been as courageous a defender of unless the good and honest loyal Demo- since Allan Shivers. Who but an unscrupu- the best American values and the rights of crats of Texas who have known him for lous politician would call such a fine public every person of every color as Sam Hous- the good and honest man he is lo these servant as Yarborough, in a passage bear- ton was; he has earned a secure place in many years get to work now and stay at it ing on the assassination and its aftermath, Texas history alongside Houston, Reagan, until 7 p.m. on the evening of May the "a left-wing character assassin"? Gordon Hogg, and Allred. second. McLendon does. Not only so. He also We know that he has integrity. We know We do not mean anyone should give less strongly implies that Senator Yarborough that he would never take a penny bribe; time to Don Yarborough's campaign. John is a traitor to Texas; he even goes as far that he would throw any man out of his Connally is an active leader of the power as to say that Yarborough had better be office who so much as hinted at one; that structure that is trying to get Sen. Yar- careful, and that he is "in danger." In this he has taken far more scrupulous precau- borough. Don Yarborough is a liberal can- issue we give McLendon his say, and we tions to keep his sources of campaign funds didate and his election as governor is much review his bankruptcy in 1952. In this edi- diverse and non-committing than most to be desired. John Connally is the candi- torial we express our opinion that he is not Texas politicians ever think of. date of the corporations and Don Yarbor- fit to receive the vote of a single Texas We know that he has lost elections ra- ough is the candidate of the people. Democrat. ther than abandon the Democratic Party. Connally marked himself as a Republi- That same front page of the Dallas News He has been there. He led the Democrats can kind of Texas Democrat in nothing so last Sunday also carried an editorial en- of Texas through the dark years when he clearly as in his attempt to get Allan Shiv- dorsing, for the Democratic primary, John was the only leader; he leads through this ers or Joe Kilgore to run against Sen. Yar- Connally for governor, Preston Smith for dark year, too, and without him it would borough. Sen. Yarborough means every- lieutenant governor, Jim Langdon for rail- be very much darker. thing to the rich men's club that has con- road commissioner, Gordon McLendon for The people who know this are called on trolled Texas politics for decades. If he U.S. senator, and Millard Shivers for agri- to act on it. If someone came up to us now wins re-election, they see the handwriting culture commissioner. That just happens and said "But what can one person do?" on the wall: Democracy in Texas. If he can to be a perfect list of people not to vote for. we would not be able to contain our fury. be defeated, they are back in velvet. One person can do all that anyone can do— all that he can do! This is the time to do it THE WHOLE PURPOSE of if there ever has been a time and if there THE PRICE of being a good such a thing as the Estes statement and man in Texas politics is very, very high. will ever be a time again. May the memory such a thing as McLendon's scurrilous of John Kennedy sober us and give us en- Sen. Yarborough has paid the price before; abuse of Yarborough is to put the straight- ergy for the good fight we must win. ❑ now he is paying it again. He can never forward Democrats who favor progressive be sure from which direction he will be solutions for the nation's problems on the Photographs of Senator Ralph Yarbor- whacked next. The source of the shocking defensive. There will be more attacks on ough at his home in Austin, taken recently attack on him last Sunday was so obvious Yarborough in the Dallas News—of that by Russell Lee. and discredited, it signified that the big boys are really desperate now and will not stop at anything the next two weeks. THE TEXASTEXAS OBSERVER The Dallas News quoted Billy Sol Estes, A Journal of Free Voices A Window to the South the convicted former Pecos businessman, 58th YEAR — ESTABLISHED 1906 that he gave Sen. Yarborough $50,000 in April 17, 1964 cash in 1960, a year in which Sen. Yar- Vol. 56, No. 8 70W borough had no political campaign. Yar- Incorporating the State Observer and the San Antonio, Mrs. Mae B. Tuggle, 531 Elm- borough called this "an infamous lie out East Texas Democrat, which in turn incor- hurst, TA 2-7154; Tyler, Mrs. Erik Thomsen, of the whole cloth" in the same News story. porated the State Week and Austin Forum- 1209 So. Broadway, LY 4-4862. Advocate. The editor has exclusive control over the edi- Estes brought forward no records and We will serve no group or party but will hew torial policies and contents of the Observer. there is no statement in the story what the hard to the truth as we find it and the right None of the other people who are associated $50,000 was supposed to be for. The Dallas as we see it. We are dedicated to the whole with the enterprise shares this responsibility truth, to human values above all interests, to with him. Writers are responsible for their own News' reporter, Jimmy Banks, said Estes. work, but not for anything they have not them- named witnesses he said saw him give the the rights of man as the foundation of democ- racy; we will take orders from none but our selves written, and in publishing them the edi- money to Yarborough, but Banks did not own conscience, and never will we overlook or tor does not necessarily imply that he agrees name them, and if he interviewed them, he misrepresent the truth to serve the interests with them, because this is a journal of free of the powerful or cater to the ignoble in the voices. did not report what they said Sunday. The Observer publishes articles, essays, and Monday morning, with just two telephone human spirit. Editor and General Manager, Ronnie Dugger. creative work of the shorter forms having to calls, the Observer was able to ascertain Partner, Mrs. R. D. Randolph. do in various ways with this area. The pay that the trustee in Estes' bankruptcy in Business Manager, Sarah Payne. depends; at present it is token. Unsolicited El Paso has never seen or heard of any- Contributing Editors, J. Frank Dobie, Larry manuscripts must be accompanied by return postage. Unsigned articles are the editor's. thing in Estes' records that would sub- Goodwyn, Franklin Jones, Lyman Jones, Willie Morris, James Presley, Charles Ramsdell, Roger The Observer is published by Texas Observer stantiate the charge (see page four). Shattuck, Dan Strawn, Tom Sutherland, Charles Co., Ltd., biweekly from Austin, Texas. En- This is an extremely grave matter. We Alan Wright. tered as second-class matter April 26, 1937, at Staff Artist, Charles Erickson. the Post Office at Austin, Texas, under the Act must close this paper now. We are called of March 3, 1879. Second class postage paid at upon to lay it on the line. We know Sen. Contributing Photographer, Russell Lee. Subscription Representatives: Austin, Mrs. Austin, Texas. Delivered postage prepaid $5.00 Ralph Yarborough: we, all of us who know Helen C. Spear, 2615 Pecos, HO 5-1805; Dallas. a year; two years, $9.50; three years, $13.00. him, know him to be an honest man. It is Mrs. Cordye Hall, 5835 Ellsworth, TA 1-1205; Foreign rates on request. Single copies 25c; a blessing that this charge was made three Fort Worth, Mrs. Jesse Baker, 3212 Greene St.. prices for ten or more for students, or bulk weeks before election day, for it can be WA 7-2959; Houston, Mrs. Shirley Jay, 10306 orders, on request. Cliffwood Dr., PA 3-8682; Lubbock, Doris Blais- Editorial and Business Offices: The Texas shown for what it is by May 2; but it will dell, 2515 24th St.; Midland, Eva Dennis, 4306 Observer, 504 West 24th St., Austin 5, Texas. hurt some, no matter how conclusively it Douglas, OX 4-2825; Odessa, Enid Turner, 1706 Telephone GR 7-0746.