The Indianapolis times., 1924-09-09
ma FERGUSON
SAYS VICTORY IS
DEATH OF KLAN
Her Own Story of How She
Broke Into Texas
Politics.
BIZ Times SnerfnI

DU 4 iUeS CBtCiGi
TEMPLE. Texas, Sept. 9.-Way
out here among the wide open
spaces where men are men," as the
cowboy-movie titles put it, and where
the effete East popularity supposes
that woman's place is in the kitchen
or with the babies, a woman has just
smashed the power Of the Ku-KluX
Klan and been elected Governor OF
the State.
Folks, meet Mrs. Miriam Amanda
Ferguson otherwise known as Ma. -
A "home-loving body" as they say
down here-a grandmother, but lack
ing in gray hairs-age, somewhere
about 47''-thin lips. finely chiseled
features-wife of former Governor
Ferguson. who was impeached by the
Legislature-proprietor of her hus-
o1ll meat market here while he
stumped the State during her cam.
Oaig7-iust a plain sort of woman
who likes babies, knows what to do
t1r tne collie, dusts carefully in the
ccrnes and can fry a chicken to a
surn.
Death-Knell to KIan
'I think" says Mrs. Ferguson, in
discussing her victory, that Ghdt
happened in Texas is the death-knell
OF the Khan. 1 think It is a blow that
rs going to be felt in every other
State where the Klan has a foot
hold. The voters Of Texas had the
issue before them. They acted"
A few years ago-nay, a few
months ago-"Ma" Ferguson never
mad the slightest idea that she would
be the next Governor. It vas only
when her husband was declared in
eligible as a candidate. because of
his previous Impeachment, that she
vent in the race
Folks say that Farmer Jim" Fer
gusOn merely wanted a return to DO.
utical power and showed his wife
forward as his political dummy.
Ferguson there was another motive.
Let her tell it:
MAS" Own Story
"Over in Austin" she says. I've
got a little grandson. years old.
Some day that boy will be a man, and
4 good one, too. Well. I don't want
1t hanging over him unchallensed.
that his grandfather was lmpecahed
by the Legislature. 1 want him 10
be able to reply. when anybody casts
any slurs ike that, Yes, so he was:
but the State later turned around
md elected my grandmother as Gov
'srnOr; so therer'
It was a queer thread Of fate that
put Ma" Ferguson where she is.
Back in 1893. when Just out Of col
lege, she married Jim Ferguson, who
had been a railroad section boss.
Jim didn't have much education; in i
speech he once quoted Shakespeare,
Lay on, MacDuff; and damned be
he who first cries, pull him Off 90
But he had way about him with
nen. He entered politics and rose
to the Governors chair.
Wife Teaches Husband
Night after night, after the sup
= dishes had been cleared away.
Jim got his ''edd-u-catiOn" from his
wife by the light OF one OF those big
mail-order house oil lamps. And,
after the babies had been put to bed,
Jim was an apt pupil.
A few years ago when the Klan
raised its hooded head in Texas Jim
was one Of the first TO reach out at
1t with a verbal meat-ax. He made
it an issue Of his opposition to l.,
and some Of the things Jim said
about the Klan wouldn't do TO print.
Two years ago he ran against Sen
ator Earl B. Mayfeld, the Klan
candidate, but the Klan was too
strong in Texas then and he was
licked. The State Impeachment, by
the way, didn't bar him from hold
ing a Federal office.
Jim took his licking and kept on
fighting. This year he tried TO run
for Governor. but they held him in
eligible. So Ma" laying aaside her
dustpan and broom, took up the
fight to clear the family name for
that little grandson over in Austin.
And, folks. that's just the way it
happened