The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1924-08-09
Ma Ferguson Is Sure She's Going to Be Governor
of Iexas-Rebo1tetS and Peaches Bother Her N0zg
BIZ NFA Service

I'M EMPLE, Texas, Aug. g.
IL This business of running
Ill for Governor bothers Mrs.
Miriam Amanda Ferguson.
The peaches have to be canned.
Politicians viii keep, but ripe
peaches will not.
And every few minutes some
pesky reporter comes into the
kitchen and interrupts, and just
as she gets settled down again
with bpshel of fruit to peel here
comes another photographer.
She changed her dress for the
first few, but now she just washes
the peach juice off her hands, puts
on sunbonnet and steps outside
to be posed.
Come to the Governors man.
sion next January" says Mrs.
Ferguson. land I'll give you some
of these preserves, spread with
butter on thick slices of home
made bread"
She Is confident
She's not elected yet. nor even
nominated by the Democratic
party, which has always meant
election in Texas. But she ran
second in the first primary among
nine candidates.
And If Mrs. Ferguson wins, 1t
will be the defeat of the Ku-Kux-
Khan, by a woman and, she be-
lieves. the clearing OF the Fergu-
son name of the stain left by the
impeachment and removal from Of
fee Of her husband, Farmer Jim"
Ferguson. who was Governor in
1915.
Husband Can't Run, So
That is really why Mrs Fer
guson is in politics. The courts
refused to permit Farmer Jim's
name to appear on the ballot, as
he had been removed by the
State Senate on charges of accept
ing loans from persons interested
in certain legislation; depositing
State funds in his bank and for
refusing to sign a bill for an ap-
propria ton for the University OF
Texas.
I'VE were sitting on the front
porch" says Mrs. Ferguson, in
telling of her advent into politics,
''and Jim said to me: Ma. why
don't you run? There is no law
against you being Governor"
So ma just Joined the race. In
the July primary she polled lao, 900
votes, while Felix Robertson head
ed the field of nine candidates,
with 1s5, 900 votes.
Among the other seven candi-
dates nearly 400, 900 votes were
distributed. These include nearly
100000 votes given to two anti
Khan candidates and whose sup
port MRS. Ferguson may fall
heir to.
Who'd Be GOVERNOR"
II she receives the combined
anti-Klan vote, she'll beat Robert
son by 100000 votes, political
dopesters say.
Ferguson's enemies say: slick
trick" that Of Jim's making his
wife run for-hirn, when the courts
wouldn't let him. ''Of course, he'll
be the Governor. If she's elected"
they add.
That isn't the impression in the
Ferguson household. when Jim
was In Office" says Mrs. Fergu-
son, he was the Governor-but
I did advise him. Now that I'm
going to be elected (she says that
quite confidently I'll be Cover
nor. OF course I'll expect -coun-
sci and advice from him"
Ma is in her early 50's. Her
dark hair. streaked with gray,
falls about her face. shading her
brown eyes.
Girls Help
I'm too old to bob IT," and she
smiles. like my girls"
The Ferguson girls are helping
ma in the campaign. There is
Ouida, %. who is now Mrs. George
S. Male of Austin, and Dorrace,
20.
II haven't done a thing but
homework all through this cam
paign." Dorrace complains. I'm
not even old enough to vote.
Ouida has been going all over the
State with the boss and the Gov
ernor.
WHO is the boss?-
"Oh, mothers the boss" says
Dorrace quickly. Dad is Just an
Ex-Governor. but after the No
vember election mother will be
the boss and the Governor, both. &"