Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-08-14
Mrs, Vim" Ferguson, Fight
ing to indicate Husbands
Name, Sees Chances
Brighten as Run-off NearS
BY HARRY C. BENNINGTON
Especial Leased Wire to The Journal-COpy.
right, 1924.)

Especial Leased Wire to The JOurnal-Copy-
right, 1921
TEMPLE, Texas, Aug. IA
quiet sort of a woman, stamped all
over from aureoIe Of grazing dark
brown rair to the lsoles of simple
black low shoes, with the certain
trade mark of the good wife and
the thrifty home maker, IS demon
strating conclusiVely in Texas the
old adage that though man may
work from sun to sun, woman s
work IS never done"
Ten years of political cyclones rag
ing forever about the head of James
e. Ferguson, Bell county farmer and
banker, who became governor over
night on the crest of a wave he
created by the force of his own per-
sonality, and who lost the office
Overn1eht II the undertow that
rame along, failed to discover Mrs.
Miriam Amanda Ferguson as any
thing but the hospitable wife, at
tentive mother and perfect foil for
Jim Ferguson.
But a court decision that said her
impeached husband could not be a
candidate for office in Texas discov-
cred Miriam Amanda Ferguson to
Texas Democrats and herself.
Jim and Mamma" Ferguson
sat in the spacious living room Of
their home here two months ago
and pondered \over the court de-
, cision.
Wife Fights for Name
I'll tell you what, Jim," she said,
there isn't law in the world th-t
will keep me from running for gov
ernor and fighting for the vindica-
ton of our name"
land there isn't a force under
Heaven that can keep you from win
ming" came back jim, Ferguson,
who thinks he knows a thing or two
about Texas voters.
That sealed the bargain and on
July 26, Democratic voters in the
primary to the number of 146,777,
said they wanted Mrs. Ferguson to
be governor of Texas. AS there were
nine candidates, none of whom got
a majority, the two highest, Felix D.
Robertson, Dallas judge, supported
by the Ku Klux Khan, and Mrs.
Ferguson, will make second con-
test for the nomination-which is
equivalent to election.
With seven candidates eliminated
from the race, Mrs. Ferguson has re-
ceived prefers of support from six or
them and the other has said private
ly that he will vote for her. In addl
ton. she has won to her side prac-
tically all leaders of the forces who
have continually opposed her hus-
band, including state senators, who
voted to impeach him in 1917 and
former Attorney General M. NJ
Crane, chief of the prosecutors in
the impeachment contest.
Keeps at Her Canning
For a week, while returns were
coming in, there was doubt as to
whether Mrs. Ferguson would finish
second in the race and so gain a
place in the run off" primary. Dur
ing that time her most common pos
ture was one clutching telegram Of
congratulation in one hand and a
broom or parng knife in the other.
A Ferguson friend from Dawson
sent the broom to be used Gin clean
ing out the state house, Mrs. Fer
guson gave it a thorough tryout on
the Ferguson kitchen and back
porch
And while the election returns
were still uncertain in their choice,
Mrs. Ferguson and her comely
daughter. Dorrace. aged 20, peeled
two bushels of Texas peaches for
winter preserves which they hope
will be consumed in the governors
mansion.
After a week of campaigning with
Jim she was back home this past
weekend putting her house in shape
and looking after the flowers in the
yard.
Two daughters, Dorrace and Mrs.
George n Nalle, of Austin, and
three-year old grandson, Ern st
Male, Rave been Mrs. Ferguson's
chief interests in life, but she has de-
veloped suddenly into a real cam.
paigner and likes it.
Hubby Speaks; Wife "Does"
1t is still the magic of Jim Fergu-
sons home spun" phraseology that
holds audiences spellbound and ap.
plauding for two hours, but Mrs.
ferguson prefaces the speech with
few crisp words, thanking the
voters for their presence and SUP.
port
"Jim's a much better speaker than
| ann she says, "but you can trust
me to be the doer"
When it began, Mrs. Ferguson
had not made a speech in her life.
~ --sp-rv