Evening star., 1925-12-07
BY MARCELLUS f. FOSTER,

Editor and General Manager of the Houston
Chronicle.
There is much misinformation and
much MISUNDERSTANDING regarding the
Ferguson administration in Texas ana
the troubles that now confront the
State
Mrs Miriam Ferguson was elected
governor because the State had to
choose either a woman who was open
| ly opposed to the ku kluX klan or a
man who was notorious as an official
of the hooded order. That was the
choice in the second Democratic
! primary, the result of which is al
ways equivalent to an election, as the
Republican party has a comparatively
small following in the State. When
| the leading Democrats rallied to Mrs.
Fergusons support they knew that
| her husband. James f. Ferguson.
| would be the real governor. They
! knew that she ran only because her
| husband could not. He had been inn
peached while governor seven years
before, and the courts had held that
! his name could not go on the ticket.
Mrs. Ferguson ran not only as the
outspoken enemy Of the Khan. but to
secure vindicatton of her husband
to prove by the peoples votes that
the Ferguson name was not really in
disgrace despite the onetime legis-
lative action. She defeated seven men
in the first primary, defeated the ku
Klux Klan candidate in the second
primary and easily won over the Re-
publican nominee in the general cleo
tion.
She and her husband promised that
drastic laws would be passed against
the klan when the Legislature as
| Sembled. That promise was re
! deemed. She and her husband de
clared that the State would be placed
on a cash basis. A deficit of So 900 900
! inherited from the previous admins
tration was wiped out. The Fergu-
sons also promised to put the peni-
tentiary system on a cash basis. That
! was done. For the first time in II
! wears there is no scandal in the prison
system and no debt. The prison farms
| made money this year, due to good
management and bountiful crops: ma
| ture itself helped the administration.
Most Constructive Session.
| The regular session of the Legisla-
| ture under the Ferguson administra-
| ton was the best. the most construr-
| tive and the most harmonious that
! had been held in 10 years. That Legis-
! lature gave Jim Ferguson a pardon
| or vindication. 1t rescinded a for
mer Legislatures act of Impeachment
! in 80 far as, it could.
The Fergusons therefore had seem
/ ingly won everything and once more
| thev were in good standing, but in ii
! few shor. months they have again
stirred the State. There is strife and
! there is scandal. 1t is all due to the
! Highway Commission and the eX-
penditure of s15,000.000 to build and
( maintain certain designated State
roads. 1t is claimed that much OF
/ this money has been wasted and that
some of the big contracts were fraud =
j ulent The Ferguson administration
! is held responsible because Mrs
| Ferguson appointed the three com
missioners and her husband met
with them, frequently debating TO
whom contracts should be let. He
! claims he did this in order to see that
! the State was not imposed upon. bu,
! those fighting him and his wife say
! he permitted the States money to be
carelessly and fraudulently spent. Re
| Gently the attorney general, Dan
! Moody. who was also elected on the
| anti I<lan ticket, filed suits against
two of the largest contracting firms
and recovered nearly SS0o,000 for the
| State.
! Probably the total recoveries will
; he 81 100000 Of the S15,00O,000 spent
] Many of those who fought the great
, battle Of 1924-when the very lives
nd liberties of the people were at