Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-07-22

other words. m the three sections, you understand. So I under.
stand now that it did not require. o the Commission did not r.
claimed, you understand now, that he "a mistrested BY that, and
he thought his boy ought to have this for the reason that there was
an irreguarty in the other bids of the man o the Amasite that
he put in there, in Isl the Attorney General or any attacked The
letting Of this, that they would have to add 20 per cen to the cost,
you understand now, for attorneys fees TO protect any suit that
might be instituted. That irregularty, you understand. he was con-
tending ought to throw that out, and mis- boy ought to have the con-
tract.
Question: Was that bid lower than his sons bid?
Answer; Three hundred and thirty-seven thousand.
Question: Lower
Question: And Barry cOntended that they ought to let that eon-
tr-et, On account Of that clause, for $4,000 ore money?
Question: what did Jim say to that,
Answer; He told Barry that he couldn't do that.
Question: What did you tell him7
answer told him that was not going to do i.
Question; What did Barry say!
Answer: He got mad.
Question: Didn't put Barry in a good humOr!
Question: Well. what did he say. Mr.. Cage,
+, c AnI%st; r rhi n. hf f;s d1dnt :, e ss how w. =, could b.. figured that gay.
Question; Where did this conference take place.
Question: At whose solicitation that conference held in the
Governors office!
Answer: James Z. Ferguson's.
Question: He requested that you meet in the Governors Offie.s
! am making no assault upon the Lieutenant Governor Of Tex
as o upon anyone in calling attention to these record facts. which
have never been called in question. although they have been matters
OF public record and common notoriety for more than q year. But I
assert that i eoneiusively proves to all reasonable minds the abb
granting that the Lieutenant Governor thought that he was doinr
public welfare demands a change in the personnel u that hih u.
fee and the substitution for the present incumbent Of some n
And second. that i is a great fault Of the laws Of Texas that
We have no statute making any interest o r Intervention o attempt
ed exercise of influence in the letting OF State Highway Contracts
by the Lieutenant Governor unlawful.
In the last session Of the Legislature. in the Senate Committee
on Education, offered an Amendment, which would have added n
paragraph to the State Text Book law passed BY the last LeEha-
ture which would have empowered and required the State Text
Book Commission to examine under oath all attorneys and repre-
Of AseertaininE for public information what persons had been em.
pioyed to aid in procuring such Text Book Contracts by each bid
any and all such persons and what contributions had been made "a
any and all campaign funds BY such bidders or their agents or rep
In the testimony taken before the Legislative Investigating
Committee Of the 39th Legislature. Of which I have here 4 off
cal copy a published by the Legislature, the State sup.rintenden.
OF Public instruction testified that in the Summer OF 1925 he ad-
vised the State Text Book Commission that the state had Q n hand
a sufficient supply of primers and that it would not be necessary
to adopt a supplementary primer. Yet, Notwithstanding this advice,
this State Text Book Commission by a vote of S 10 4 . 49,
test OF the State Superintendent and against his vote. purchases
over SoooooOO worth Of primers from the World Book Company and
the World Book Company was represented befor. this Text RooE
Commission in the sale Of this s5OOOoOO worth Of primer. which
the State Superintendent of Public Instruction wors ) s,... a.
not then need and that he advised the Text Book Committs. ~
n oy pTeGeo; 1y the hon. Barry Miller: then and now, Lieutenant
%ent nice Oy the World Book Company under the law with Ii.
tenant Governor is Of regularly retained counsel In Texas for said
Now with all due respect to all concerned, J submit the Opinio,
mat n Lieutenan Governor Of Texas ought not to be retained by
to the State whether the State needs them or not. bus y te 4 Books
tanned, then all the people Of Texas ar entitled to know how much
on the school childrens money their Lieutenant Covarror n. 49,
for aiding in procuring the contract and to know this befor. IN.
on.rse is e. And, III the people are entitled to know how much
nj 100000 paid out for these primers which the Stat.
need. and that he advised the Text Book Commission =. not -
ed u left IN the school fund would have heightened five hprd-.S
one-room schools for a period Of one month, or would h.vs -
an additional months schooling badly needed to nor thar n y
children living on the farms Of Texas.
l am making no charges against anyone. / am simply ouot;rv
the official records. 1t may have been that the Lieutenant covsrnor
Of this State from his viewpoint thought that he was do;nr n
right thing in accepting employment from q text book eom,ss.
aid in selling its wares to the State. while he held the second ~
est office in the State Government. Certainly he has violated No
law Of which I a aware But. I do say that sound public poIirv
and the welfare Of the people demand that we should have m Ti.r
tenant Governor Of a different viewpoint who would not .r,.,,
such employment and that for this purpose a change In the person.
mel of this high office is imperatively necessary, and, whethsr 7 81
elected Lieutenant Governor o r not, I am going 10 do what + -
procure the enactment of Legislation making il unlawful fo- y
Lieutenant Governor Of this State 70 accept employment n the Nv
torney for State text book contractors n to aid in the procurpu.r,
OF text jook contracts.
In order that may not be misunderstood and also for the pl.,..
ue that il gives me, rs a n act of justice to the faithful public r.r !.
wants, I want to pay my humble tribute to the earnest, honest ~
valuable services rendered the State and It's sacred school funds -
the present State Text Book Commission. up o this time, rs reflect
ed in newspaper reports. It's fidelity to duty. in my opinion. has not