Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1914-02-20
THE PROBABLE pEsloNEE.

Tom Ball was born and raised in
Huntsville. To be raised In Hunts
vile is no mean distinction; anyhow,
II relieves one Of the necessity Of be-
ing sent there. He clerked In gen.
eral merchandise store-not an apart
ment store, but one of those old
fashioned country stores where you
can buy anything from can of cove
oysters to sewing machine. It's an
excellent education 1t sharpens ones
wits and 1t enlarges ones knowledge
Of human nature. Young Ball got
ambitious to 90 on the road-to get
out into Polk and San Jacinto and
Houston and other counties and sell
goods to the merchants. The Blums
of Galveston gratified this ambition,
and thus Tom Ball >got somewhat
broadened out, which isn't saying any.
thing against Hur--file, but it is a
fact that travel broadens the man who
who isn't fool 90 start with, and no
one ever accused Ball of being a fool.
He kept this up-this travelling for
Blum-for several years; in the mean
time he was getting acquainted with
Coke and Blackstone and other legal
mminaries. Their the office bee got
in his bonnet and he ran for Mayor
of Huntsville and was elected. Here
was distinction that meant some
thing, for IL was a stepping stone to
a Congressional career-a trick that
Mayor Milan of Fort Worth is seeking
to turn Having served in the Con-
gress to his hearts content, Mr.. Ball
dropped out and took up the practice
of law in dead earnest. He has been
a successful practitioner. his firm being
Ball. Andrews & Streetman, with n
large clientele. In the Statewide pro-
hibitiOn contest of three years ago,
Mr.. Ball was the chairman OF the pro-
hibition forces and his conduct of the
campaign gave him great popularity
among the adherents of the dry"
cause. Incidentally. those who attend
ed the Waco convention OF 1890 will
recall that Mr.. Ball locked horns with
Jim Hogg on some proposed amend
ments to the State constitution. II
was at this convention that an at
tempt was made to howl Hogg down,
and Cone Johnson led the Hogg forces
on the floor of the convention. Whey
Cone Johnson was pitted against Joe
Bailey for delegate att large to the
Denver convention, Mr.. Ball was a
Bailey supporter, and 1t is this fact
that makes him possibly more avail
able as the designee for Governor
than would be either Thomas or John.
son, for the Bailey men have ncver
quite forgiven Cone and Cullen for
the part they played. In last Satur-
DAYS meetings, participated in by pro-
hibition Democrats only, Mr.. Ball,
though not candidate, swept the
! field, and he will be the designee OF
| the Fort Worth convention for Gov
ernor, which means that he will have
! the united support OF all he prohibi-
| tion Democrats in the July primary
| election. If he's elected Governor
| and there's a Legislature In sympathy
| with him, IL is likely that We will have
/ statutory Statewide prohibition. to be
followed ny an election for constitu-
tional prohibition. Tom Ball is clean
man, good lawyer and fairly con
! servative in all save his views as 10
the liquor traffic. He is the anti
thesis OF Comptroller Lane, and ne
doesn't worship at the shrine of VIII
liam Jennings Bryan as does Cullen
Thomas. Outside OF this one ques
ton OF prohibition, he would be the
man whom the Houston Post would
likely prefer for Governor-Waco
Times-Herald.