The Texas Observer .DECEMBER 27, 1962
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.DECEMBER 27, 1962 The Texas Observer O AN INDEPENDENT FORTNIGHTLY 25c •- • The Bounty of Nature . Ralph Yarborough Famous Arthur Goes Home Again to Dallas Brammer 11110 • n. ef)e aA 4._ Liberals, your turn has come. kind of job he does in the legislature. Not a turn to beg a job from a gov- We do not need them seeking patron- The New Format ernor who needs you: a turn at con- age that might compromise them for The extra week between issues is trol of your own political party in the good fight. All the reform move- killing me, but just to keep the Ob- Texas. Not a turn at hobnobbing with ment needs right now is a tight grip server around is worth it. I am very the social upper crust of Texas poli- on its own integrity. favorably impressed with your new tics: a turn at writing the Texas Let liberals stand quietly for what format. Democrats' platform and naming the they believe in, support Connally Helen Hill, 2311 W. Main, Apt. 2, Texas delegates for the Democrats' when he is right, oppose him when Houston 6, Tex. 1964 presidential convention. he is wrong, and seek, in every city Someone said to us the other night: and hamlet, steadfast liberal candi- It looked very good. I particularly "Now our turn has come to get some dates for every elected office from liked the article on civil defense in- of the gravy!" That's what the new constable to—should it appear to be struction, and the political piece by shape of Texas politics meant to this wise—governor in 1964. Goodwyn. I do have one suggestion : bemused fellow. Gentlemen, let us not If Connally wishes to impress the the gray strips above and below the neglect the obvious. A man who falls minorities with his liberalism, let him cover picture are somewhat gloomy. silent about what he believes to get start, say, by integrating the state Perhaps they might be in color, if some political job has sold out. parks with an executive order. Why cost permitted? Gov.-elect Connally needs — must must Negroes always wait for a court Charles Langford, Mt. Enterprise, try to get—the liberals' support ; but order? If he wants the support of lib- Tex. they do not need his. In the legisla- eral legislators, let him propose a lib- ture, still hung over from the muddled eral program, including permanent Your new format is both good-look- one-party era, Connally will be more voter registration and a liberal tax ing and comfortable. I like being able influential than he is among the program. But if he wants the integri- to read one item straight on through, voters. The truth is he was the liber- ty of the reform movement in Texas, on successive pages, instead of hav- als' second choice last June and the now is the time to let him know it's ing to turn back through later pages conservatives' second choice last No- trying to find it. not available. Whenever liberals and vember. labor and the minorities meet with Tom Miller, 711 W. Sycamore St., What we need at the moment is not Denton, Tex. this man, as they will, for example, complicated. We, do not need liberals during the Democratic coalition meet- I read the new Observer last night or labor or minorities making deals ing Jan. 5, let them make the one and like it—but not quite as well as with Connally before they see what thought plain to him: No deals. the old form (perhaps nostalgia en- ters here). I am delighted that you put that picture on the front. Let's THE TEXAS OBSERVER work harder to get Don Yarborough An Independent Fortnightly in next time. Vol. 55, No. 2 7c, I'm always sorry when you men- December 27, 1962 tion drinking beer and whiskey. Keep Editor and General Manager for does not necessarily imply that he it a secret. You should not have put Ronnie Dugger agrees with them, because this a journal Partner of free voices. that pint back in Willie's car. He gave Mrs. R. D. Randolph it to you so he would not be tempted The Observer solicits articles, essays, Business Manager and creative work of the shorter forms, to drink while driving. That habit Sarah Payne having to do in various ways with this grows, especially for writers. Contributing Editors area. The pay depends; at present it is Marion Snuggs, 128 Main Plaza, Bill Brammer, Chandler Davidson, token. Unsigned articles are the editor's. Larry Goodwyn, Lyman Jones, Willie San Antonio, Tex. Morris, Charles Ramsdell, Roger Shat- The Observer is published by Texas tuck, Bob Sherrill, Dan Strawn, Tom Observer Co., Ltd., biweekly from Austin, Oh jolly! Got my new Observer to- Sutherland, Charles Alan Wright. Texas. Entered as second-class matter, day and thought it was The Baptist Art Editor April 26, 1937, at the Post Office at Aus- Standard. Charles Erickson tin, Texas, under the Act of March 3, Subscription representatives: Dallas. 1879. Re-entry applfcation pending. De- Carolyn Boyd, 224 Granada* El livered postage prepaid $5.10 per annum Paso, Tex. 416 Mrs. Cordye Hall, 5835 Ellsworth. TA- 11205; Fort Worth, Mrs. Jesse Baker, for subscribers living in Texas (this in- Best wishes. "This is a journal of 3212 Greene St., WA-72959; Houston, cludes sales tax), and $5.00 per annum Mrs. Shirley Jay, 10306 Cliffwood Dr., for subscribers living elsewhere in the free voices"—I like that. United States. Rates for delivery to for- Bro. Ira V. Lott, O.M.I., 285 Oblate PA-38682; San Antonio, Mrs. Mae B. Tug- gle, 531 Elmhurst, TA-27154; Austin, Mrs. eign countries available on request. Sin- Dr., San Antonio, Tex. Helen C. Spear. 2615 Pecos, HO-51805. gle copies. 25 cents each; special prices The editor has exclusive control over for orders of ten or more are available Hell! the editorial policies and contents of the on request. Bulk rates are usually lower if orders ,are placed in advance of an Larry Goodwyn's article jObs. Dec. Observer. None of the other people who are associated with the enterprise shares issue's publication. 13] is a very good one, but still an this responsibility with him. Writers are Advertising rates available on request. (Continued on Page 15) responsible for their own work, but not Editorial and Business Offices: The for anything they have not themselves Texas Observer, 504 West 24th St., Aus- The Texas Observer written, and in publishing them the edi- tin 5, Texas. Telephone, GR 7-0745. The Bounty of Nature Ralph Yarborough I have many memories of hunting, recorded winter since St. Denis bites. I ate from the field and forest fishing, and camping. Growing up as camped at Natchitoches in 1717. Ice- and fried my fish on the river bank, a boy in East Texas between the covered limbs broke off of trees, kill- carrying only salt with me; As I sat Neches River and Kickapoo Creek, on ing several of our men in our division alone on the banks of spring branches the western edge of the eastern tim- and injuring a number of others. or creeks and fished and watched the ber zone, I watched the pileated wood- While I still camp out on deer hunts, birds and other wild life, Virtually pecker hammer, saw the great flights I do it for the hunting, not for the as free as an Indian boy except for of ducks and geese and blackbirds camping. my store bought clothes, the wind that filled our skies fifty years ago, Before I announced for governor rustled the leaves of trees; and I im- and marveled even as a boy at their ten years ago, I spent something like agined, as a boy will, that the trees numbers. The frogs, the copperhead, four to six weeks each year hunting were talking to me, but they seetned the moccasin were near the borders and fishing. Since the day I an- to be saying Indian words, like I had of our sloughs and ponds there, and nounced for governor against Allan heard from Hiawatha, that I didn't the gar and trout were near their Shivers on May 1, 1952, I have spent understand. But now I understand, surfaces, herons and egrets and cranes only six days hunting and fishing, they were crying out for the sal- waded their shores or perched on one day for deer, one day for turkey, vation of our trees, our wildlife, our lookout points, kingfishers and water one day for doves, one day for ducks, heritage. turkeys sat on the bare boughs of dead one day for geese, and one day fish- trees over the water, more patient ing. Six days in ten years are not T HAS BEEN DISAP- than human fishermen. The virgin enough. I want to hit the fishing and POINTING to me that so few of the hardwood forest was unfenced. Not hunting trail again. candidates for • the governorship of Texas have seemed to have much old enough to possess a gun, I roamed But I don't want to create the im- recognition of the need for a large the woods with my fish hooks and pression that I am only interested in number of parks in Texas to serve my dogs, alone, and watched the hunting and killing animals. Nature our more than ten million people, not birds as I fished for catfish and perch. is greater than the chase. Man's habi- to mention the millions that we hope I feared only the wild, razorback hogs tat is the outdoors and all living to lure into our state as tourists.