ustxtxb_obs_1969_05_09_50_00012-00000_000.pdf

King Speaks, Masses Moved Following is the official text of Larry L. King’s address during the governor-for-aday festivities. It was delivered in the rose garden of the Governor’s Mansion. Austin This has been a day of great and solemn dignity, which it is now my purpose to put an end to. The very idea that dignity could be long attached to the Texas governor’s office is one that I, as a native Texan, not only find uncomfortable but am unwilling to accept. It is customary on an occasion such as this to pay flowery tributes to the guest of honor, and since Don Kennard is such an old and dear friend I have gone to no little trouble in attaining laudatory quotes about him. Cong. Jim Wright has authorized me to say, “While it may be true that Don Kennard’s vocabulary is mean and restricted, certainly it is adequate to express his deeper thoughts.” 12 May 9, 1969 CLASSIFIED BOOKPLATES. Free catalog. Many beautiful designs. Special designing too. Address: BOOKPLATES, Yellow Springs 8, Ohio. YAMAHA: For the best soundpianosorgansguitars available at Amster Music & Art Center. 17th & Lavaca, Austin. 478-7331. VARIOUS ISSUES Bunker’s and Texas Monthly, 1928-1930, for sale. Inquire Shirley Swallow, 4116 Micki Lynn, Fort Worth 76107. MEMORABLE pictures, 8×10%, JFK Dallas parade, plus Plaza-Depository florals. Both $1 postpaid. Address: JES, Box 11073, Dallas, Tex. 75223. MEETINGS THE THURSDAY CLUB of Dallas meets each Downtown YMCA, 605 No. Ervay St., Dallas. Good discussion. You’re welcome. Informal, no dues. CENTRAL TEXAS ACLU luncheon meeting. Spanish Village. 2nd Friday every month. From noon. All welcome. ITEMS for this feature cost, for the first entry, 7c a word, and for each subsequent entry, 5c a word. We must receive them one week before the date of the issue in which they are to be published. Preston Smith authorized the following quote: “Senator Kennard is a fine public servant though he may be a little colorless.” And Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes commented, “He’s a fine man I just think he’s a bit too young to be governor.” Governor Kennard differs from most Texas governors in several important respects. First, he is compassionate; second, he is literate; and third, we don’t have to suffer his rule for very long. Texas governors normally serve only two-year terms. It merely seems longer. One of our governors was a hillbillysinging flour salesman; one was a woman; one was publicly caned; one was impeached; one died in office; and one was shot. We just can’t seem to get the hang of it. As a boy growing up in Eastland and Callahan Counties, I had secret ambitions to become governor of Texas myself. As I grew older, I realized that I was severely handicapped by my background. Which is to say that I was raised by honest parents. Also, my ideological convictions were such that many of my fellow Texans suspected me of democracy. I remember that at an early age I foolishly denied, in public debate, that justification for the oil depletion allowance is clearly stated in the Old Testament. Governor Kennard is the first Texas governor not only to invite me to the Mansion but to be permissive enough not to forbid my presence. I feel strange just being here in a place where I had always dreamed of being, but had always been denied. I imagine Ralph or Don Yarborough would feel much the same in these circumstances. And I must confess that I really have little more business being here than our last seven governors have had. IT IS, therefore, a source of some sadness to me that Governor Kennard’s commission expires at midnight. \(Though I suppose we can always look forward to the Though some may be saddened that our friend and governor, Don Kennard, will officially turn into a pumpkin at midnight, this is a great relief to Texans who have become accustomed to seeing their governors turn into lemons. Many vicious rumors have circulated today about the Kennard administration. I don’t believe I’ve heard such hairy tales since Ex-Governor Shivers treated us to the Port Arthur Story. You old-timers will remember the Port Arthur Story as a melodrama written by Jake Pickle and starring Allan Shivers in at least four acts. You young people who don’t remember it may consider yourselves both lucky and blessed. But I want to deny these rumors about the Kennard administration, each in its vicious turn. First it is not true that Governor Kennard has today signed a proclamation granting for every town in Texas of over 1,000 population its own Carlings beer brewery. Nor is it true that he will force the idle rich of Texas, or the oil companies, to pay taxes Governor Kennard has far too much respect for Texas history to reverse our traditional customs. Nor will he grant pensions on which The Old Folks may live comfortably. Nor will he foolishly spend your tax dollars on the mentally ill nor rehabilitation of the jailed. Neither will he blindly trust University of Texas professors, nor exercise any influence whatever over the Texas Railroad Commission or other regulatory bodies. The fact is, Governor Kennard has promised to do so little for Texas that he’s seriously in danger of being endorsed by the Dallas Morning News. Some of us who consider ourselves Don’s friends, and who have graciously signed on as his advisors, do have certain programs we have urged on him. I don’t want to alarm anybody, but you should know that late last night down at Scholz Beergarten we of the Kennard Cabinet voted certain immediate reforms. The first went into effect three minutes ago, when Lt. Gov. Ben Barnes was placed under house arrest, and even at this moment Governor Smith is being refused readmission to the state by our Texas Rangers. And when you wake up tomorrow your child may be attending an integrated school and flirting with majority rule. WELL, THUS far I’ve spoken almost as comically as John Connally generally did, but in closing I would like to get serious for a moment. It is a pleasure, and it’s a prideful moment, to be here as the guest of Gov. Don Kennard, and of our gracious and lovely first lady, Jackie. We love them, we’re proud of them, and we have enjoyed sharing this experience with them. We leave here secure in the knowledge that when today is over, having labored hard and done his duty, Gov. Don Kennard will have the satisfaction of knowing that he shall soon retire to that place of great rewards and eternal rest the Texas State Senate.