Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-19
The Brass Collar Press

According to Mr.. Sidney Hardin of Mission, can
didats for congress in opposition % Congressman John
N. Garner, the press Of the Fifteenth district is very
largely OF the brass collar" variety. In r recent ad-
dress at Los FresnOs Mr.. Hardin stated that the free
and ~untrammeled press q the district IS supporting
him. but the majority IL newspapers. which ne char
aeterized as ring controlled" are supporting Garner.
As the number Of newspapers supporting the Mis-
sion man is limited to one or two out Of fifty or more,
Mr.. Hardin might "a well have stated that all news
papers in the district are dominated by what he terms
the relies Of the old regime"
The great majority Of residents Of South Texas are
inclined to be proud Of the South Texas newspapers.
In no part Of the United States are the communities
represented by a more progressive, fair and liberal
press than throughout the lower border country. The
newspapers Of the Lower Rio Grande Valley have been
a very important factor in Valley development. The
Brownsville Herald, one OF the oldest, II not the Oldest
newspaper in the Fifteenth district, was laboring in
behalf of the Valley when Mr.. Hardin was still in his
~swaddling clothes, years before he acquired s~ufficien.
lung power 70 make an effort % shake the political
plum tree.
In marked contrast to the statement Of Mr.. Hardin
is a statement by County Judge O.. c. Dancy in cam
paign literature recently issued in behalf Of his can
didacy for reelection. Commenting uTon the fact thai
Cameron county taxpayers arc kept fully informed rel
ative 10 the affairs Of county government, ne says:
Through a puble-spirited press the people have been
taken into full confidence as "a what is going on Az
the court house"
Judge Daney and no other county, state. district or
precinct official or candidate for office has ever dis
covered that the press Of this section is Of the brass
collar variety. 1t remained for Mr.. Hardin, who ~
attempting to Gust from congress enc of the strongest
men in the democratic party. 10 discover that the pro-
gressive newspapers Of South Texas arc "rng con-
trolled" This conclusion being reached BIZ reason Of
the fact that the newspapers ~ South Texas are too
deeply interested il South Texas progress to support a
candidate whose sole assets are m enlarged ego, a
stentorian voice and n burning desire" TO hear the
echoes Of that voice in the halls % congress.
Mr.. Hardin's principal grievance against the news
papers Of the district appears to he derived from their
refusal to handle his publicity except at advertising
rates. There is not a newspaper in Texas that would
not have its columns Overlooking with the publicity Of
candidates il they accepted ain the free publicity" that
Is rendered. Every candidate for state office has the
same grievance, but they have more wisdom than %
denounce the press for its failure TO accord each Ct
them the publicity each thinks i his due.
Ever since the art Of printing was developed II has
been the effort Of politicians to attempt to use the
press to further their political ambitions. The more
radical or ridiculous their stand the more uncompro-
missing are their demands for publicity and the more
v~ociferous their denunciations when tie press refuses
to proclaim them as a made-to-order Moses, heaven
sent to lead the nation from the wilderness.