Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-04-04
For Better Party Management

Governor Moody has vetoed the Wirtz anti
bolter" bill.
In preventing this bill from becoming a law he has
done what many of the best friends Of the democratic
party hoped he would do.
He disapproved the measure in the interest of
future party harmony and party welfare. He vetoed
1t to prevent ambitious politicians in future using
the power of party organization to further their m
terests or to perpetuate their control of the party
control that means control Of the government OF
Texas.
He denied ther ambitious politicians campaign
thunder thev hoped for in next years race for office
He kept for Texas the best safeguard yet found, the
right Of the majority Of democrats to run the party,
free from the artificial barriers of the laws favorit-
ism to cliques or groups.
Governor Moody acted courageously and wisely
He did not consider what might perhaps be eXpedlent
with respect to the present situation. He recognized
that the democratic party in Texas IS q gong con-
Germ. He saw that new issues and new campaigns
will form new alignmentS within the party. he lore
saw first one and then another group in temporary
contro, If the nartv. He saw the "anti-bolter" bill,
growing out of the bitterness of a campaign that now
Is mast. would be harmful to the party's future har-
mony, and would not contribute to the freedom OF
majority control.
The governor was convinced that at least three
fourths Of the democrats Of Texas were opposed 70
the Writ bill. Not merely those who saw fit to sup
port the state ticket and the republican presldental
electors, but a large part Of the regulars o. 1876
were against the measure. Hundreds OF kilograms
and letters notIred into the executive offices from
well known democrats over the state, including a
large number Of those who have always voted regular.
These messages were overwhelmingly in favor OF his
vetoing the bill.
The governor knew, too. that the measure was
passed only after its sponsors had promised t1at IL
would not be invoked to the drastic action which 1t
authorized, of disfranchising nearly half the voters
within the democratic party. But they had no con-
troll over what any executive committee might 90
end Governor Moody wisely concluded it was i'm
nroper to put the power and its accompanying temp
tation into the hands Of unknown future committees.
He knew these committees will be selected from the
sunnorters of future successful candidates Tor Office
and he recognized that no one now IS able to tell
what extreme group may be in power at some future
time.
He was unwilling to give any such unknown cote
RE of 81 or fewer men, drastic power to perpetuate IN
power themselves and the officeholders who made
them.
The governor knew that the far-reaching bill was
sunnorted bv some who are not in sympathy with
the advanced views Of political conduct, and who
would rather turn the party back to the domination
of a few insiders" even to the abandonment Of the
entire primary system.
The air has been clarified by Governor MoodyS
disapproval Of the bill which would have been sure
to bring on confusion and turmoil.
Good faith Of the sponsors of this measure was
not In question. The good faith Of some OF Governor
Moody's best friends who supported it was not i'm
pugned.
It was all a question of looking to the future, Or
of raking back over the dead embers of burned-out
bitterness from previous disagreeable issues.
Governor Moody chose to turn the eyes of Texas
democracy to the future. He has acted in the best
interest of his party and his state.