Evening star., 1926-06-08

Ma" Ferguson unique wager with
Attorney General Moody, her chief
opponent in her fight TO he elected
Governor, has turned the national
spotlight on Texas politics again.
THE next Governor of Texas Will
very likely be the Hon. Barry Miller
of Dallas, lieutenant governor, pre-
diets the Houston Chronicle tlnde-
pendenC, which believes Miller
may be called upon to serve out the
unexpired term of Gov. Miriam Fer
guson, who has agreed TO resign III
the event that Dan Moody leads her
by one vote in the July "a primary,
Dan has accepted the challenge.
continues the Chronicle, by agree
ing to place his resignation as at
torney general on the hook if beaten
$4,000 votes in the primary. What
ever may be the result of this un-
usual turn of political events, 1t
leaves the lieutenant governor in what
must be q state of high expectancy,
and serves again to magnify the I'M
portance OF selecting the right man
tor lieutenant governor"
Referring to James Ferguson
opening speech at Sulphur Springs in
the campaign for the denomination
of himself and his wife as governor.
independent Democratic) declares
he spoke for two hours. and a careful
reading of his entire speech does not
disclose one valid reason why his
wife should be returned TO Office in
name. and himself in fact. nor a sin
gle reason against the nomination of
Dan Moody. The entire speech
says the Star-Telegram, was one of
violent abuse, and Moody was the
sole and only object of that abuse"
X i 4
The challenge appears to the Abb
lene Reporter independently as a
"typically Fergusonian def, for Jim
has done little things like that many
times in his stormy career. The only
new feature" the Reporter adds, "iS
that this time the dare was called
He didn't get away with it this time.
Dan flung it right back at him. We
predict that we will hear very little
more about the dare and its accept
ance from here on out. 1t will just
naturally play out, because Dams
prompt acceptance took all the force
out of Jim's dare"
As to the public. the Worcester
Telegram (Republican) thinks lit is
hard to see what Texas will gain by
holders to refrain from serving their
present terms in fulr' and that it
can be assumed that neither Mrs.
Ferguson nor Mr.. Moody has any
settled and burning convictions about
the i'll effects of lame duck rule III
State governments"
There are differences of opinion as
to whether the wager is favorable
to one candidate or the other. 1T
is to be SEEM" remarks the Charles
ton Daily Mail independent Repub-
lican). that Ma generously gives
her opponent the favor of the odds.
Thus she qualities before the Texas
voter as good sport and as of "A
chivalrous nature. Perhaps, also. in
the nature of the challenge turks Il
to the lighter and frivolous side the
sporting element" In the opinion of
the Pittsburgh Gazette-Times (Repub-
lican), however, while "it may appear
to be a sporting proposal, Mrs. Fer
guson retains the better of it for
herself, though ostensibly she gives
it to Moody. The attorney general
has been a constant sounce of trouble
to the governor. 1t is not strange
that she should desire to be freed
from his attack. Were Mrs. Eergu-
son to lose. under the conditions of
her proposal she would sacrifice a few
months of office, but Moody would
not gain the governorship any SOON
er because of that. Were Moody to
lose he would sacrifice u few months
of office, but in addition the COVER
nor would gain freedom from his Of
fetal assaults. Thus Ma is bidding
to gain more than she would lose
X X
"Mr. Moody would have been a
bigger man morally" declares the