San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-07

was tuC anu
Of personal loyalty unsurpassed, he
commanded host of fighting friends
and of bitter enemies, ever the fate OF
strong men. Without great ambition.
he never carried his power beyond the
domain of his county, though by SUI
perior education and mental strength
he was capable of greater fields. Nat
Lewis, now in political retirement, but
yet potent, was the red-headed Henry
Of Navarro of the campaign. Ag-
gressive and able, he was ever found
where the fight was the hottest. giving
and receiving blows with equal sang
froid. An efficient officer. with great
powers of organization he had hosts of
loyal friends and bitter enemies. To
his friends, the Red Prince" to his
enemies the Red Ant" he was ever
picturesque. Bart Dewitt. quiet and
unobtrusive, was the conservative bal
| ance wheel of his organization. Urging
the selection Of candidate he was, in
the caucus, the author of the well re-
membered phrase. "he will bring us
strength. for he will get the "Razop
back" American vote.
Jose Cassiano, the field marshal of
the opposition, was descended in I'M
broken strain. from the first settlers
Of the city. Powerful and command
ing in presence. the big Comanche,"
as his enemies called lin, was quiet
of speech and manner. but the master
of organization and official efficiency.
Thad Smith-who doesn't remember
him-with his long. red beard and his
quiet orderly speech? A graduate of
Washington and Lee. always q gentle
man, the successor in office of his
father. Sam S. Smith. for forty years
county clerk, never offending, al
ways obliging and courteous, he con-
tributed the invisible but effective
force of his organization. Now in his
mellow old age, broken in health and
fortune. deputy clerk in the office
of his predecessor, where for so many
years he reigned supreme. Augustus
Lewy-peace to his memory-of He
braic birth. brilliant, able and lovablc.
was serving his second term as district
attorney and was the Cassiano can
didate for q third term. Callaghan Sc
lected to oppose him, Carlos Bee,
young and inexperienced. with an ex-
cellent family background. fluent even
then Of speech and beginning career
that took him far alon. the political
road.
Paul Meerscheidt was the selected
opponent Of the mighty Cassiano be-
cause quiet of speech but of solid and
enduring qualities he appealed strong
ly to the substantial business element,
then beginning to assert itself. Frank
NJ. Newton, Confederate soldier, Pres
byterian elder, former county assessor,
led the supposedly forlorn hope against
the invincible Smith. How well he
did il is written in the annals of the
county in the remarkable story OIL sue
cession by his son, Frank X. Newton,
for twenty years or more the marked
ly efficient county Clerk. Peter Jonas
honest Peter they ca,'td him, AMI he
was honest Peter-was the Cassiano
choice for county judge. Upright. but
without judicial experience, he met in
combat Enoch Griff Jones, justice of
the peace and the scion of one of the
oldest and most influential families of
the section. He was a man Of quiet
manner, but God never gave life to n
more lovable son. / do not remember
them all. but there was John Legler'
a splendid man, long since gathered to
his fathers. but no match for his az
gressive opponent, John w. TObin.
long sheriff, now mayor. Popular,
magnetic, fresh from the Spanish
American War, he laid the foundation
Of a long and Inbrolen polit cal ca
reer, the stormy petrol VI local p,i:tics.
Not fitted for the sedate office of
county treasurer he there laid the,
foundation for the political acumen
and sagacity he has since displayed.
1t was q mighty battle and when
the smoke of contest cleared away,
Newton was clerk. Meerscheidt was
collector. Lewis district clerk. Jonas
county Judge: Bee. district attorney,
Dewitt county attorney and Tobin
treasurer. Mixed in its result and
again a tribute to the personal follow
ing of each. for the question OF official
efficiency was not questioned.
The river runs to the gulf. the sea
sons come and go and politics very |
little changes. Callaghan. Cassiano.
Jonas. Levy. Legler,. Newton, Fro
boese. have joined the silent majority.
All the others. except Tobin. are in
retirement. 1t is n. strange comment
airy the machine organization produces
the best officials. 1t must be be-
cause those who select them look 70
their future conduct as certain
means of continuance of their power.