ustxtxb_obs_1967_08_18_50_00007-00000_000.pdf

A Well for Villa Ahumada Austin A Houston reader has taken the initiative in response to the Observer’s article, “Dionisio Sanchez Wants a Well,” published in our July 21 issue, detailing the need of the people of Villa Ahumada, near Juarez, in Mexico, who are without a reliable, convenient water supply. “We propose to purchase a pump and motor and present it to Mr. Sanchez, as a gift from the people of Texas who care about whether or not his noble and justice-seeking ends are achieved. Julius Glickman, Olga Elizondo, and I will handle the mechanics of it and solicit contributions here in Houston,” writes Joseph Jenkins. “We can, however, use any financial help Nye can get. [Perhaps many of the Observer’s readers] feel, as I have sometimes felt, frustrated and unable to change the course of events in the many injustices, local, national, and international, with which we are concerned. If so, here is a chance to do something concrete to correct an injustice, perhaps small in relation to some others, but no less unjust,” says Mr. Jenkins. He is serving as trustee for the “Well for Dionisio Fund.” Six hundred dollars must be raised. Checks or money orders may be sent to Joseph E. Jenkins, 500 Houston First Savings Bldg., 711 Fannin Street, Houston, 77002. It is hoped that by the end of September the money can be raised and the equipment presented Mr. Sanchez by those Observer readers who would like to participate in person. with House Speaker Ben Barnes in a room at the Hotel Texas. V Cong. Jim Wright, Fort Worth, is re ported in some trouble with the machinists’ union, a powerful force in his district, for his vote in favor of compulsory arbitration in connection with the railroad strike this summer. V When it developed that non-union workers were installing cameras at Fort Worth to televise Humphrey’s speech to the Texas AFL-CIO, and that non-union men would operate the cameras, state labor president Hank Brown was advised that if there was no live telecast Humphrey wouldn’t speak. Brown is quoted by an associate as saying “I’ve been fighting this cause [unionization] 25 years and I’m not going to change now.” The dilemma was solved by getting another area station, with union personnel, to handle the pick-up. More on 1968 w Other late trends, as candidates jockey for positions in next year’s election, now indicate that House Speaker Ben Barnes will run for lieutenant governor and that, if so, Sen. Ralph Hall, of Rockwell,yOuld not oppose Barnes. Hall had be’e4 -‘,thaught to be Gov. John Connally’s tOP ‘choice for the second spot, but Barnes ‘ha’s lately become the Establishment’s apparent candidate for this spot. Lt. Gov. Preston Smith will almost assuredly try to become governor. He’ll have trouble raising money, as many of the sources who chip in for Smith also support Connally’s campaigns. V Connally is represented as having seriously considered not running for a fourth term, being of this mind in June. But President Johnson is believed to have ‘urged him to run again, so as to hold Texas for LBJ in 1968. Connally says he’ll say what he’ll do this October. While Connally was wavering Barnes and former Atty. Gen. Waggoner Carr were being urged by conservative Democrats to make the race. Carr is very interested in getting back into politics. He says he’s out as far as 1968 is concerned. However, should Connally surprise everybody and not run again, Carr will try for governor. Right now though Carr sounds like he’s getting ready to challenge Sen. Ralph Yarborough in 1970. Carr speaks critically of , Yarborough’s withholding support when Carr ran against Sen. John Tower last year. Carr maintains that his loss to Tower was part of a national trend and “I doubt that my defeat was a personal defeat at all.” V Meanwhile, Smith is conducting sur veys in the four largest cities. He says that the biggest factor uncovered to date is the fourth term issue which Connally would have to face. Connally has conceded that he made a mistake in raising that issue against Gov. Price Daniel in 1962. “I was as wrong as I’ve ever been in my life,” the governor says. Smith has said he’ll announce his plans about the first of September. He says other issues that might work against Connally, his surveys indicate, are Connally’s support of liquor by the drink, annual legislative sessions, and branch banking in the four largest counties. Other sources say that Connally’s close ties with LBJ will erode the governor’s support next year. vor Dan Blocker, the Texan who plays Hoss Cartwright on TV, and who in real life is a staunch liberal, has said he won’t run for office in Texas. “If I came back now, and did what I would have to do, according to my own conscience, they’d probably kill me,” Blocker says. V Don Gladden, the Tarrant county leg islator who was one of the House’s few staunch liberals this year, is considering a try for the lieutenant governor’s job. Another prospect for the job is Sen. Murray Watson, Waco, a conservative. V Atty. Gen. Crawford Martin will run for reelection, he says. There had been speculation that he would seek a place on the state Supreme Court. V There are conflicting reports about former Gov. Price Daniel, whether he’ll run for the high court post Meade Griffin, 73, will give up. V There is some talk out of Houston that broadcaster Gordon McLendon, who ran against Sen.. Yarborough in 1964, is still very much interested in politics. V Bill Malone, the Southwest Texas State professor who sought to organize a Liberal Party in Texas a couple of years ago, will join the faculty of Murray News of Taxes City sales tax elections are planned at Houston, Corpus Christi, and Austin. The Associated Press reports that the matter is not an issue in many of the smaller and medium size cities, and “there is apparently reluctance to bring up the issue.” Several city officials warn that property taxes will have to be raised sharply unless a sales tax is enacted. There is some organized opposition to the measure in Austin. Houston Chronicle capital reporter Bo Byers, who has taken a role in opposing the tax in his hometown of Austin, says the election in the capital city may determine the tax’s fate in other Texas cities, since Austin may be the first major city in which an election is held on the question. Rep. Menton Murray, Harlingen, doubts that Valley cities will approve the tax, and speculates that the legislature may have to levy the tax so as to apply to all cities, without local option elections. V The Mid East crisis has had a salutary effect on Texas oil production and on the state treasury. It had been thought that the legislature, in its 1968 special session, would have to raise $150 million in new taxes. There are estimates current now that the figure could range from $60 to $95 million because of unforeseen revenues from Texas oil companies. V Liquor-by-the-drink will be aper haps t hema j o r revenue-raising measure introduced next year by the governor’s forces at the upcoming special legislative session. The state comptroller estimates such a tax would provide $15 million annually, though some officials, including Speaker Barnes, believe the actual income would be double that. If the need for new taxes is under $100 million there will be no widespread tax, Barnes says, such as removing exemptions from sales tax on liquor or beer sales, or increasing the state sales tax to 3%. V When the special session will be is still uncertain. This fall is still a possibilityas are early next year or in June after the primaries. Riots and Texas ge og Race riots could occur in Texas, many state and local officials have conceded in recent days. Lt. Gov. Preston Smith says the source of the riots is lack of respect for law and the courts’ placing “obstacles” in the way of police. Atty. Gen. Crawford Martin says we should have no patience with sociological explanations of riots and that the fault lies to a great extent with recent Supreme Court decisions which impede the police. V In Washington Cong. Eatle Cabell, Dallas, says much of the blame lies August 18, 1967