Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-03-04
COUPLES NOW RUN
FOR SINGLE OFFICE
FerguSons of Texas and
Pinchots of Pennsylvania
Examples of New Era.
By Consolidated Press.

OO~SSANAS~0
Are Ma and Pa Ferguson going to
set new political precedent by run
ming for Governor of Texas as a
couple? Ma Ferguson practically did
that two years ago, but then the Lone
Star State was divided as to whether
Ma was going to be governor in her
own right or whether Pa was going to
be governor for her. Ma now insists
that both Fergusons have been COVER
nor and that the job calls for a hus-
band and a wife.
The Texas experiment has already
had it's repercussion in the State of
pennsylvania, where ii is reported
that Gov. and Mrs. Clifford Pinchot
are going to run for the Senate. Gov.
Plnchot has made no secret of the
fact that as chief executive of the
keystone State he has leaned heavily
upon Mrs. Pinchot, in whose political
Judgment and sagacity he is said to
have unbounded faith.
Mrs. Pinchot Campaigning.
Mrs. Pinchot already has started the
campaign for her husband and is max
ing speeches in many parts of the
State. She is addressing herself large
ly to the women Of the commonwealth
and it is easily to be surmised that If
Mr.. Pinchot is able once more to beat
the powerful Republican machine in
his home State and wrest the nomina
ton away from Senator George Whar,
ton Pepper Mrs. Pinchot will feel that
much of the responsibility of the sena-
torShip will fall upon her even If she
Is not able to invade the Senate floor
and take personal issue with the
forces of reaction.
Mrs. Pinchot is echoing her hus-
Dand's sentiments about Mr.. Andrew
Mellon, the Secretary of the Treasury.
She charges Mr.. Mellon with having
thwarted attempts to enforce prohibi.
tlon IN pennsylvania and says that
permits issued by him have protected
many illegal sources of alcohol. Mrs
Flnchot also accuses the Secretary
anew of having "smuggled wine into
washington. She has demanded TO
know how the eighteenth amendment
can ever be enforced with "a man like
mat at the head of the enforcement
forces.
The experiment of husband and wife
control of political Office is decidedly
an interesting one. Ma and Pa Fer.
guson are going to test public SEN
tlment on their share in the expert
ment by running again for office. AT
leaSt Ma. Will be on the ticket as the
runner, but everybody will know that
Pa will continue to do business AT the
Old stand in Austin, just as he has
done ever since the day Ma was in.
augurated.
Novelty Interests Public.
The great American people appear
TO be more startled over the fact
that woman official should call upon
her husband for help than that
man off1cial should openly ask his
wife for assistance. Since men and
women have come to political equal
lty there is really not much TO choose
from in the two situations.
There are many Senators and Rem.
resentatives here in Washington who
openly admit that they owe their pres
ent Jobs to their wives, to feminine
tact, diplomacy and general help.
1t was even commonly admitted a
few years ago that President Harding
had risen to the highest office in the
land through the influence of his wife.
who was far better politician than
her President-husband ever had been
or could ever hope to be.
Mr.. Harding had wanted to remain
In the Senate. Mrs. Harding wanted
him to go to the White House. Mrs
Harding put him in the pre-conven-
ton primaries and held him there
w.
Mrs. Harding had a will of steel; Mr.
Harding was something of a drifter.
Mrs. Harding had her way and she
let it be known after the election that
In certain matters of rewarding
friends or Furnishing enemies she
would have the final word at the
White House. Mr.. Harding had i'm
plicit faith in his wife's political judg-
ment, or intuition, or whatever you
choose to call it.
There has been discussion for some
time as to what should be done in the
future with the husbands of women
elected to high Office. In the past
the wives of husbands in high Office
have been more or less content to
hide their lights under a bushel 1t
has been supposed that husbands
would not be so quiescent, although
as a rule where the wife takes the
lead in a family the husband gener-
ally is found to be ultra quiescent
Pa and Ma have set the style of
dividing the Office. Gov. and Mrs
Pinchot are doing virtually the same
thing. So perhaps here we have the
solution without much difficulty, after
all.
rs~aN