El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-06-07
Campaigning In
Days Before The
Railroads Came
Judge Falvey Reminisces on
Campaigning When E.
Paso Was Young.

The writing Of two letters was prac- [
tically all the campaigning that for
mer judge T. A. Falvey INDUCED in in
1878 when he ran for district attor-
ney against the late Bryan Callaghan
Cater mayor Of San Antolio). in what
was then the goth judicial district, FL
Paso county being one Of the subdi
visions. The district was almost as
large as the present congressional
district
The judge. who retired from the
bench so years ago 70 engage IN the
practice of law. recalled that fact
Friday while comparing campaigning
80 and 40 years ago with political
activities Of today.
There is SO much difference to-
day" continued the judge musinglY
cit is almost impossible TO compare
the two practices In those DAYS the
candidate didn't visit every little set
Element as he does today. He only
spoke at the larger towns, usually the
county seat, the interested ones else
where in the county or district coming
TO the candidate for enlightenment
Nowadays the aspirant seeks out the
voter. IN those days &c was much the
social standing or fitness Of the man
that won him the election. You know
today how the tricks Of the political
trade often lands a man utterly unfit
for the office
And in those days-'them was the
happy daysi-We didn't ride in Pull
mans, have biz parades, etc. We
patronized the Overland stage and
where it didn't run we hired wagons
or buggiss ard drove over
No Marble Palaces.
Neither did we dispense justice
from marble halls. either. Back in the
Z 40 -sTr~ rnHafHr=
OF court in a pecan grove. The court
sat under one tree and the grand jury
deliberated under another. That was
at Paint Rock, Concho county. There
were only two buildings in the county
then, and both OF them were stage
stations. There were few settlers,
only sheep and cowmen, and they lived
either in tents or slept under their
blankets"
Judge Falvey's first campaign was
{ in 1878. He was running for reelec-
tion as district attorney, having been
appointed by the governor some time
before TO iii an unexpired term. His
opponent was Mr.. Callaghan, who,
shortly after the judges two letters
defeated him, went TO san Antonio, en-
tered politics there through his law
office, and served for many years as
mayor and county judge.
Distrist 500 Miles wide.
Tt was in 1880 that judge Falvey de-
cided to run for district judge. The
district then consisted Of FL Paso,
{ Preside. Tom Green. Crockett added
I for judicial Durposes) and Concho
counties 1t was known as the 10th
district and since then those five
counties haze been subdivided into
many smaller commonwealth
From east to west the district was
500 miles wide. North and south II
was several hundred miles in extent
I nj 81 #hw~Hrerr che
district, from san Antonio 10 Fort
Yuma There was a branch line from
san Angelo TO Fort Worth. At that
I time judge Falvey lived at san Angelo.
Il confined my campaigning 10 the
town along the stage route" said
the Judge excepting at Paint Rock,
which I had 20 drive about 30 miles TO
reach. I only visited IL because it was
a county seat. and business took me
there. We didn't chase the voter then
as they do today We let the voter
come TO us.
Gala nay when Candidate Came.
1T was a gala day for miles and
miles around when we held a stump
speech meeting. Farmers, ranchers,
cattle and sheepmen came into town in
every kind Of a vehicle, many bring
ing their families and enough pro-
visions to last them until they got
back home. These were eaten under
trees or In the wagons Those who
didn't have wagons, walked TO town.
After the speaking, the populace dis
iutegrated and awaited either another
speaking or the opening Of the polls
on election day"
The mention Of election day reminded
the judge Of an Incident that hap
pened in FL Paso more than IS years
ago, and prompted the remark;
while we didn't campaign in those
days as they do now. when it came to
t #h~nrr-7Hf-- N nHnn#fnHH nv e#rrHFfHn= the
ballot box. they could beat Tammany
I Hall all to pieces"
At this particular election the pow
{ srs that be" had been outvoted almost
two to one. The ballot boxes consisted
I Of an ordinary box with a sliding lid.
which was pushed back and forth TO
permit the depositing Of the ballot
Winning An Election.
When the polls closed the judges
and clerks went TO dinner, leaving the
I ballot boxes in the polling places. In
some unknown manner the Gins" dis
! covered just how many ballots had
] been deposited in each box. While the
l judges and clerks were at dinner they
marked a sufficient number Of ballots
/ to vote them back into power, substi-
tuting them for the legal ballots, the
latter being burned to destroy all
traces.
THE other side was thuuderstruck
when they counted the ballots and
found they had been defeated"
laughed the judge, they supposing all
the time they had been successful
more than two to one. It was not un-
/ til the term Of office Of the 'ins' had
about expired that they told OF the
I trick they had played"
When judge Falvey ran for district
judge a second time, which was in
I 1884, the district had been redistricted.
I 1t then consisted Of FL Paso. Preside.
! Pecos, Val Verde and Reeves coun-
/ ties. In the interim the Judge was
forced to move to II Paso, for san An
gelo was no longer in the goth district.
I that county having been cut off by
I Legislative enactment
Luxurious Travel in Box Cars.
During that campaign. the Judge