Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-29
Members OF Legion
GiUen Interesting
Review of Valley

the six-gun, the rough but fortnight
justice of a land where the man who
did not fight for his own soon had
nothing left worth fighting for.
Romance OF Old Days
Here, still in good working order,
is the oldest highway of the Valley.
The Old Military Road. they call It.
because il was built and used eighty
odd years z by Zachary Taylor and
his fighting men in the Mexican
war which settled once and for all
the title TO what had been the Repub-
lie of Texas since the Battle Of San
J%acinton. And along this road YOU
will see, il you look closely, Mexican
children. whose Nordic heritage Of
blue eyes may be traced back 10
those self-same soldiers who marched
with Old Zach from Corpus Christi
IN 1886 TO take possession Of the dis
puted territory between TIE Nueces
and the Rio Crande.
Not until some time after 1900
can you say that this Valley country
was pacified. Up 70 1916 six-shooters
we're as much a part az a mans cos
tune as were his pants. shoes and
~@N- 6F1AH nnnN NENk Httitus IOf
there was no telling when a gun
would be needed.
"A far cry, my friends. from that
time to this. No more do you see
side arms IN evidence, except upon
armed peace officers. Instead, We
find a prosperous land with every
body busily going about his business
of making a living-and making a
good one, too. Stretched along the
railroad are thirty towns with
thriving posts Of the American Le-
Eion. posts which carry on programs
Of civic work and which have stand
ing in their communities such as
might make envious most posts in
older parts Of the country.
Work Of the Legion
Donna. for example. has troops
OF Boy Scouts under the protecting
wing Of the Legion post. It's Legion
clubhouse is worth twenty.five or
thirty thousand dollars. At Edinburg
the post sponsors a Scout troop and
recently carried on a cleanup cam
paign which the Legionnaires' fellow
citizens say did their town a world
Of good.
The Mercedes post owned a lot
which cost $1,000; last September
the lot was sold for $500 cash. Now
the post IS about ready to build a fiji
teen thousand dollar club house. The
president Of the Mercedes Kiwanis
club is a Legionnaire. So is the
president of the Rotary club. Five
of the eleven directors of the cham
Der Of commerce are members Of the
post. It's the same way all IN and
down the alley.
Only recently the San Benito post
moved n a thirty-five thousand
dollar club house. The post at Mis-
sion owns and operates the Hidalgo
county fair. In McAllen the Legion
took over and sponsored a park and
playground. At Brownsville the
post provides a wholesome entertain
ment and swells its treasury by riv.
ing Thursday evening boxing matches
at Fort Brown. The Valley district Is
always a leader in membership. in
1927 being the first district in Texas
TO reach its paid-up quota. No won
der, when drives like the be~an-eatinE
contest bring into the fold practically
every eligible man and woman.
Delying Into History
"ert ecocgh of the present. Let's
look back down the years to the his
toric times when armies marched
and counter-marched along and
Continued on page tHo.)