Texas Week, Volume 1, Number 3, August 24, 1946 Page: 7
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Superintendent of Schools L. A. Woods,
and ex-Governor James V. Allred took
the air for Rainey.
Most specific counterchanges: by
Rainey that Jester was using his position
as railroad commissioner for personal
and political advantage; by Jester that
Rainey made a mess of things as Uni-
versity of Texas president.
Other Races Quiet
Even in its uninspired state, the gov-
ernor's race overshadowed all others.
Favored because of first-primary plural-
ities were: for lieutenant governor, Allan
Shivers over Boyce House (82,015); for
commissioner of agriculture, J. E. Mc-
Donald, incumbent, over R. E. McDon-
ald (79,966); for Court of Criminal
Appeals, Tom L. Beauchamp, incumbent,
over Jesse Owens (44,730).
These figures, nearly complete, came
out of the State Democratic Executive
Committee's formal canvass, to be certi-
fied along with second-primary results
to the state convention at San Antonio
September 10. Closest state race, the
committee found, gave Price Daniel the
attorney generalship over Pat M. Neff,
Jr., by 13,580 votes.
Withdrawals Settle Five Races
Congressional runoffs were cut to five
when first primary leader Tom Tyson
of Corsicana defaulted to war hero Olin
Teague of Bryan in the Sixth District.
Four state senatorial seats will be de-
cided Saturday, while the number of
House runoffs was cut to 28 when four
candidates withdrew. Two were long-
time members: Earl Huddleston, Oglesby
(six terms); Mack Allison, Stephenville
(three terms). The new members: Sid
Gregory, Gatesville; J. W. Shannon,
Stephenville; Joe T. Keenington, Texar-
kana; George O. Nokes, Jr., Corsicana.
A turnover of more than 50 per cent
in House personnel was assured by these
events (a minimum of 76 new members).
The state Democratic convention was
almost sure to hear about a Fort Worth
civil appeals court row. Judge Earl P.
Hall, appointed by Governor Stevenson
to fill out an unexpired term, was ques-
tioning the "victory" of J. Carroll Mc-
Connell, Palo Pinto, who got 448 write-
in votes-less than one per cent of the
potential.
Storm-Tossed Seay
Inaugurated amid the sound and fury
of the September, 1944 convention, the
Democratic state executive committee
faced a tremendous assignment. The
Roosevelt-Regular war was in full sway.
A Supreme Court battle loomed over
certification of presidential electors.
The former chairman and secretary had
refused to turn over the records to the
new committee.
Grizzled, sharp-eyed Harry L. Seay
started from scratch. Despite the prob-
lems he faced, along with the swornHARRY L. SEAY ..... the two years were eventful
enmity of the Texas Regulars and other
conservative elements in the party,
after two years Harry Seay was able to
say that the Democratic ship had
weathered the storm and though it was
far from ship-shape it was still in one
piece.
At the 1946 state convention in San
Antonio September 10 he will bow out
as chairman. At the executive commit-
tee meeting in Austin last week he
spoke his valedictory.
Defends Record
Harry Seay (1) lauded the memory
of Franklin D-. Roosevelt, in whose name
he waged unremitting war against the
Regulars, (2) reviewed the committee's
activities, (3) deplored the "slanderous
propaganda" he said had entered the
1946 campaign and (4) defended his
committee against charges it was partial
to a gubernatorial candidate (Homer P.
Rainey), (5) that it was fostering a
party split (by fighting the Regulars),
(6) that it had encouraged Negroes to
file for precinct chairmanships and (7)
that it consisted of "a set of Commu-
nists."
The committee somewhat modified
its earlier opposition to resolutions of-
fered by Morris Roberts, Victoria news-
paperman, and accepted without dissent
substitute resolutions: (1) commended
President Truman for the manner in
which he is handling the domestic and
foreign affairs of the government, (2)
endorsed the action of Congress in re-
fusing to appropriate funds for thecontinuation of the Fair Employment
Practices Committee, and (3) condemn-
ed all minority pressure groups, whether
representing labor or industry, who in-
dulge in the use of huge campaign slush
funds to "promote their own selfish
ends against the welfare of the people."
Born of national rather than state
political issues, Seay's committee was
believed on its way out. Beauford
Jester's nomination for governor would
be the knockout punch, for ;many of
Jester's friends are not Harry Seay's
friends. Neither are many of them new
Dealers, and Seay's committee is pri-
marily a New Deal array. Should
Homer Rainey be nominated, it might
be a different story. Even if he loses
out in Saturday's second primary,
Rainey will not be without influence at
the convention. Raineyites were eager
beavers in precinct and county conven-
tion this year; many will be delegates
to San Antonio.
Small Counties Hold Power
It is an unwritten, if sometimes un-
observed, law in Texas Democratic pro-
cedure that the incoming governor dic-
tates the party setup.
-That factor probably will be decisive
at San Antonio. Otherwise, with several
large delegations pledged to either
Jester or Rainey, the struggle for con-
trol could be sharp. The little counties,
imposing in the aggregate, will hold
the balance of power, and they figure
to go along with the gubernatorial
nominee.TEXAS WEEK 7
24 AUGUST 46
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Texas Week, Inc. Texas Week, Volume 1, Number 3, August 24, 1946, periodical, August 24, 1946; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth586553/m1/7/: accessed June 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Private Collection of the Raymond B. Holbrook Family.