Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-11-28
Ma Nov Faces Same FATE AS Jim,
Texas Governor May Be Impeached
WOULD CREATE
A PRECEDENT
IN POLITICS
Representative Irwin of Dallas,
Leading Forces for the I'm
parchment Proceedings

The storm clouds tnat broke over
Jim Ferguson's head IN 1917 and
blew him out Of the governors of
flee are gathering again
This time they are focusing not
only around Ferguson-who official
ly is only a private citizen-but
around the picturesque, nationally
popular figure of his wife. Ma
Ferguson, first woman governor of
the Lone Star State.
A special session of the legisla-
ture will be held very soon, called
by Mrs. Ferguson, if she accedes to
he demand of legislative leaders;
called by Speaker Lee Satterwhite on
demand of fifty members if she does
not.
Ostensibly it will be held to CON
slider taxation. Actually it will be
held to consider the question of deal
ing out to Mrs. Ferguson the fate
that her husband received eight
years Accompaniment.
Should she be impeached, it '~ould
it is believed, be the first time that
any American woman office holder
was removed from her position in
that manner.
The trouble underlying this new
development is deep-seated and COM
plicated. 1t is caused, primarily by
the fact that jim Ferguson is as
much the governor of Texas as he
ever was, in all but name.
Ferguson has been acting COVER
nor, without any concealment, OPP
ponents of the Fergusons charge.
They say that Jim" not Ma" has
appointed the three highway commits
sioners, has sat in at all their meet
ings, has issued pardons to criminals
1000 of them since Jan. has,
in short, exercised exactly the same
sort of power that was his back in
1917.
1t is the highway situation that
brought on the storm. 1t began
through the activity of Attorney
General Dan Moody-a determined,
soft-speaking young man, twenty
years Ferguson's junior and holding
his office by virtue of majority of
100000 votes at last falls election.
his, it might be noted, is a greater
lajority than Mrs. Ferguson got.
loody has been a bitter critic of the
Dad policy of the Ferguson admin
-stration. Low bidders were ignored
he charges; millions in state funds
were wasted-favoritism was shown
certain contractors.
Moody has scored one victory. At
ter suit had been instituted by him
against the American Road Company
for excess profits in connection with
surfacing 1000 miles of highway. the
concern confessed judgment to the
sum of 100000, agreed to cancel
lation of its contract and forfeited
its permit to do business in Texas.
This action lent added impetus to
the move for an impeachment ses-
sion of the legislature. But Mrs.
Ferguson countered with another
clever political moye-she sAemand-
ed, and got, the resignatS5f TWO
members of the state hig com
mission who had been ticized
most loudly-Frank V. Lanham and
Joseph Burkett.
Representative T. X. Irwin of
Dallas is leading the impeachment
forces. 1t was he who sent to fellow
members the petition calling for a
special legislative session
Should the impeachment proceed
ings actually come to a head-it is
not certain they will, for the Fergu-
sons have their friends in the legis-
lature and a great host OF tnem
among the private citizens of Texas
it is probable that Mrs. Ferguson
would be accused of failure to func-
ton as governor.
Then unique situation might
arise. Pending the outcome of the
proceedings, it has been limited that
attempts might be made to GUST Fer
guson from the executive mansion
by force. And counter hints have
come that he might order the adult
ant general to prevent the legisla-
tors from meeting in the capitol
building. This would add a new
tangle to a situation already tangled
almost beyond understanding.
Even ma" Ferguson's warmest
friends admit that her husband is the
real governor. 1t is he who sees
newspaper men; it is he who CON
suits with all applicants for guber-