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The Texas Observer SEPT. 6, 1968

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The Texas Observer SEPT. 6, 1968 The Texas Observer SEPT. 6, 1968 A Journal of Free Voices A Window to The South 25c Amidst the Wreckage, Hubert Chicago Both Frank Erwin, Jr., the outgoing committee decided, 18 to 3, to substitute When the rhetoric and the rubble were national Democratic committeeman from a "freedom of conscience" proposal for cleared away in Fortress Chicago last Texas, and Will Davis, Texas Democratic the unit rule in order to permit all dele- week, the Democratic party could be chairman, argued that it was unfair to gates to vote as they wished. The Texas seen crumbling into two opposing fac- change convention rules only days before delegation then submitted a minority re- tions similar to the liberal-conservative the convention began. To the audible port, bringing the issue to the full con- groups that have divided the Texas party amusement of the committee members, vention. for more than a decade. The more con- Erwin said that if the Connally _Demo- Connally and the Texas delegation felt servative, establishment forces kept con- crats had known the unit rule would not neglected by Humphrey and his cam- trol of the party machinery by nominat- be in effect at the convention, they would paign staff. Before the convention the not have put liberals on the delegation. governor had met with the vice-president ing the logical heir to Lyndon Johnson's only twice since HHH announced for the policies. The liberals and radicals fought "We put them on there because we knew we could control them under the unit presidency. Monday Connally and Texas the choice on the convention floor, in the rule," Erwin said. House Speaker Ben Barnes met with committees and in the streets, only to Humphrey for an hour and fifteen min- be rebuffed by superior, better organized utes. Humphrey agreed to a last-minute powers. Wherever there was controver- A MEMBER of the committee endorsement of the unit rule for 1968 but sy during the convention, one normally asked Erwin how many members of the it was not enough to pacify Connally. could find the regular Texas delegation, 122-man delegation might vote against He was angered with Humphrey again the challengers, or both. the majority if the convention dropped Monday afternoon when he learned that Texas liberals came away from the the unit rule. The Texas committeman the unit rule discussion had been sched- convention with only one clear victory— answered with a statement which was uled for Monday night before the creden- the defeat of the unit rule used by the to make headlines across the United tials vote rather than afterwards as Con- Texas majority for a century to cast the States. "If this convention abolishes the nally had expected. Connally had hoped to state's delegate votes as a bloc. Gov. John unit rule or refuses to support it," he be able to vote the Texas delegation as a Connally and other leaders of the Texas said "there is a growing sentiment [in bloc on the various credentials challenges. Democratic establishment led the strug- the Texas delegation] that John Connally The governor called the schedule change a gle to maintain the unit rule. Both the should withdraw [as a favorite son] and "doublecross." The vice president's vacil- Texas challenge delegation and the Mc- ask some state early in the roll call to lations on the unit rule and on the sched- Carthy forces in Texas had made the yield to give us the opportuinty to nom- ule of convention events substantiated unit rule one of their prime targets. An- inate another great Texan who holds the the governor's belief that the Democratic other Texan, Cong.. Jim Wright of Fort highest elective office in the land." Al- nominee for president is not "tough." Worth, an alternate on the regular Texas though Erwin said his statement should delegation, represented Vice President not be interpreted as a "threat," it was. Humphrey's interests at the rules com- TEXAS' presentation on behalf Governor Connally, contacted by mem- of the unit rule was highly unpopular mittee meetings. bers of the press, said the statement was Both Sen. Eugene McCarthy and Hum- with convention delegates and visitors in Erwin's alone, but that there was indeed the gallery. Both Tom Gordon of Abilene phrey came out against the unit rule, "growing sentiment to make that [John- but Humphrey's statements were rather and Erwin were. roundly booed during son's] nomination, period." Erwin's state- their speeches. Gordon read the state- ambiguous. In a letter to the rules com- ment seemed well-rehearsed (he was able ment from Humphrey and added, "We mittee, the vice president asked for •us- to repeat it verbatim at the request of have no objection to abrogation of the pension of the unit rule at the 1968 con- newsmen) and many political commen- unit rule for 1972." He argued that it vention and abandonment of the rule for tators guessed that it had been cleared would be unfair to change the rule for the 1972 convention. He later changed with his close associate, Governor Connal- the 1968 convention. "The unit rule was his stance, however. Members of his staff ly. Some observers, including Stephen first initiated in Texas in 1831," Gordon said the first statement had been a mis- Mitchell, interpreted Erwin's and Con- said. "It was a good rule then and it's a take, that Humphrey, very tired, had nally's comments as a "boomlet" for the good rule now." His next sentence was signed the letter without reading it and president. Many Texas delegates simply drowned out by boos. without realizing its implications. wrote off the statement as a manifesta- The rule was abolished by a voice vote. In arguments before the rules com- tion of "Erwin's famous temper," as one Six Texas delegates of the 122 said they mittee, opponents of the rule repeatedly delegate put it. At any rate, there was no voted for abolishment: State Sen. Bar- cited Texas as a state where the rule has groundswell of pro-Johnson sentiment. bara Jordan of Houston, Ed Watson of been abused. Stephen Mitchell, McCar- The president, speaking at Southwest Deer Park, Benton Musslewhite of Luf- thy's campaign manager, told the com- Texas State College the next day, said, kin, Ivan Haven of Port Neches, Pat Mc- mittee that under "the infamous unit "I am not a candidate for anything, ex- Dowell of South Houston, and H. S. rule," a bare majority of 53 members of cept maybe the rocking chair." He re- (Hank) Brown, president of the Texas the Texas delegation could cast Texas' affirmed his non-candidacy once again AFL-CIO. 104 delegate votes. Mitchell read a por- after the convention began. Later Con- Senator McCarthy, speaking to demon- tion of a letter from Texas Sen. Ralph nally said that the Texas delegation never strators in Grant Park across the street Yarborough which called for abolition of seriously had considered nominating the from the Conrad Hilton Hotel, said, "We the unit rule as "sanctioning the suppres- president. did one or two things at the convention. sion of the minority opinion." Despite Erwin's threat, the rules sub- (Continued on Page 3) 5he Opening -Strata _Again& EoJJ RIe Austin would not have made that mistake. from /he bottom all the way to the top From this time forward, every delegate The Texas governor's righteous defense of thi convention system. will come to this convention with one Texas needs a presidential primary of the unit rule as "the very essence of mind, and we won't need the unit rule." pure democracy" is now exposed, by the system. It is an outrage that we do not overwhelming judgment even of the Hum- That is what foot-in-mouth Erwin have one. The citizens are at the mercy phrey-dominated Democratic Party, as thinks. of the party hacks—in both parties— absurd and hypocritical sophistry. Unit Yet he makes it clear that from here who sycophantically flock to the party rule was boss-rule, codified. It is a last- on out, if he and Connally have their boss's "favorite km" banner (this year, ing accomplishment of the Texas liberals way, the idea of proportional representa- both John Tower! and John Connally used who fought through the convention sys- tion will have no chance of any kind in this shoddy gambit to increase their in- tem this spring that they contributed sig- conservative-won Democratic conventions fluence as bosses). For 1972, the law nificantly to the abolition of the unit rule in Texas. Conceivably, as Connally passes should • bind the Texas delegation to from precinct to national conventions on from the scene, an agreement could be cast its first-ballot votes in proportion the first night—over the Connally boys' reached that, from the precinct on up, to the outcome of the primary. agonized objections — at Chicago. delegates would be chosen in proportion The stupidest persistence of the "unit to the votes among the various leading rule" is the electoral college. Under the Make no mistake, however this is only candidates for the Presidential nomina- law, the presidential candidate who wins an opening skirmish in the struggle tion. Otherwise, liberals henceforth will a majority of a state's votes in Novem- against boss rule among the Democrats. have no practical option but to apply ber gets all its electoral votes. This is Frank Erwin, Connally's national com- the "winner take all"•rule to the conven- why a minority can elect a President. The mitteeman, said before .
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