The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-11-23
OfficeHoLdir1g
By Women
A Problem

So much has been said and written
about the rebirth-or it might be truly
said about the birth of women into the
political and civic life of the world
so much speculation as to just what the
outcome will be and so much of it pro
end con-for or against-that any new
angle placed upon the question is sought
by those who realize that the outcome
is still mathematical. The center OF
interest, of course, just now is the two
governors and the new. representative IN
congress. OF course, there are many
others being tried out by states in the
officers, both high and low. Missouri
has q woman secretary of state and
there are one or two other states where
some office will be occupied by women
as well as state treasurers and on
down the line from county boards to
sheriff and constanble. A Birmingham
woman, who recently returned from
Kentucky, tells of how many women are
holding public office in that state. She
says: IT was guest for day with a
woman sheriff of the county, who is
holding the office most successfully,
having been reelected. In the first
place she inherited it from her husband
who was killed in the performance of
his duty. Proof of her success is that
abe was reelected during a recent cam
paign."
Lorry Jacobs, writing in a current
issue of McCall's, gives an interesting
story of Governor Ferguson, writes new
sideiights on this interesting woman. He
says:
Miriam Ferguson, like Abraham
Lincoln, was born in Log CABIN.
A.
Ferguson. L shall prefer women to men
for any given place.
"'Why?' asked McCall's interview.
"But Ma Ferguson (the slogan Me
for Ma was partly responsible Tor her
victory over Judge f. ID. Robertson OF
Dallas. in the democratic primary has
n woy of surprising those who expect her
to do any certain thing. Because, she
said slowly, with her great understand
ing brown eyes twinkling, because l
have been elected on platform OF
economy. / have pledged to do all IN my
mower to save the tax money OF the state
Of Texas. Now / know, as you know,
that women--generally speaklng-can
save two dollars where their husbands
Save one. If they can accomplish that
saving with their husbands money, why
not with the state'sT
"The first woman to govern COM
monwea1th was born about (the about
is Mass fifty years ago, in a pretentl-
Gus, but substantial log cabin farm
house near Temple, Texas. She is OF
powerful, and vet womanly, physique.
Yet for all her strength there is ever
the hint of her traditional leaning on
the stronger SEX when she says proud
ly: I'll asy my jim.
'1There is, of course, more than
hint of feminine dependence in that my
lin There is pride, defiance, and
hatred for those who she says have per
secuted James e. Ferguson when they
had only the right to censure. And In
that defiance lies the romantic story OF
how Miriam E. Ferguson happened to
have the chance to be the first woman
governor. ,+.5
'For Ferguson, who had been elected
governor in 1914 and reelected in 1915,
was impeached in 1918 and resigned
from office He ran again for governor
and was defeated. Later was defeated
for United States senator by the present
Senator Mayfield, whose seat is being
contested.
MA said Ferguson, one day early
in the present year, 4 believe l Will re-
tire from politics. He had just failed
In an attempt to get the Texas leglsia-
ture to strike from state annals the
record of his impeachment.
"'You will do nothing of the kind
Ma said. And Jim didn't Instead, he
announced his determination to run
again for governor, and then was con-
fronted with the announcement by the
state supreme court that his name could
not appear on the ballot because of his
Impeachment.
"But that didn't stop Miriam E. Fer
RusOn. Instead, her name as candidate
for governor of Texas was sent to the
secretary of state, that very day.
1.-The story of the campaign which fol-
lowed is history now. Mrs. Ferguson
ran second among the nine candidates
for the office, giving her the right to
contest with Judge Robertson the right
to the democratic nomination. And,
on August %, in one of the most ex-
citing primaries ever held Miriam f.
Ferguson defeated Judge Robertson af-
ter she and her husband had made a
stirring campaign. 1t is now thought
certain that when the state senate meets
in January it will repeal the impeach-
Confined On Page TwO.)