Crusades and Complacency

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Crusades and Complacency

• Chapter 16 Notes, pages 331-356
• Texas History
• November 4, 2004

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I. Introduction

• Prohibition
• First World War
• Reactionary crusades of the Ku Klux Klan
• Social and technological changes
• Era of complacency also- governors offered some
  reform- legislators would not accept it
  
• In most cases, a reactionary resistance to change

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II. Oscar Branch Colquitt

• Resisted more money for education
• Did help regulate child labor
• Promoted factory safety
• Created state workers compensation system
• Had to raise the state tax rate

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III. Prohibition The Moral Crusade

• Very emotional issue- 1908- dominates state
  politics
  
• Democratic party divided- brewery interest able
  to hang onto power
  
• WWI- patriotic issue- 18th Amendment to
  Constitution- forbids sale and manufacturing of
  alcohol in United States

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IV. The Birth of Fergusonism (1915-1917)

• James Ferguson (Temple)- against Prohibition,
  main issue was tenant farming- wanted to help
  their position
  
• March 1917- investigated for corruption-
  antagonized the alumni of UT, impeached and
  removed from office- 10 counts- most
  serious-misappropriation of state funds
• Only governor in Texas history to be impeached
  and removed from office

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V. Trouble on the Border

• Mexican revolutionaries forced to Texas in early
  1900s- revolution will break out in 1911
  
• Troubles in Texas
• Influenced by Mexican revolution
• Reaction to years of prejudice
• Expansion of farm labor in South Texas
• Plan of San Diego- Mexican Americans set up own
  republic
  
• Pancho Villa and others raid across borders
• President Wilson sends troops into Mexico- Villa
  not captured, war almost breaks out
  
• Violence in S. Texas leads to land transfer to
  Anglos

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VI. Texas in the First World War

• War declared April 7, 1917
• New military camps set up in Texas, aviation
  schools
  
• Almost 200,000 Texans enlist
• No pork on Thursdays and Saturdays
• Wheatless days on Mondays and Wednesdays
• Industrial expansion- shipbuilding, new oil
  fields,
  
• State cost of govt. doubles
• Womens voting supported
• Racial tensions occurred- violence against
  blacks
  
• Restrictions placed on foreign born persons
• Loyalty promoted-

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VII. The Politics of Complacency

• Governors after war expressed attitude of new
  age- dawn of a great boom
  
• Texas shares in prosperity of 1920s
• State highway system begun
• New colleges, public school system improves
• Government progress slow- governors proposed
  reform, legislators did not respond
  
• State park system begins in 1923

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VIII. The Ku Klux Klan Crusades and Bigotry

• Anti-black, anti-Catholic, anti-Semitic
• Attempted to impose, social, racial, and moral
  conformity on society
  
• 1922- gained control of local offices, and ran
  for state offices
  
• 1924- lost power when Miriam Ma Ferguson wins
  governor- 1st woman governor
  
• Stories of violence weakens KKK

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IX. Dan Moody (1927-1931)

• Runs against Fergusons-youngest governor
• Prosecuted Klan
• Proposed many reforms, few enacted- problem-
  Moody is urban oriented, legislature is centered
  in rural districts
  
• 2nd term is hit by Great Depression

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X. The Roaring Twenties- Economic Growth and
Prosperity

• Electrical appliances and lights, radios,
  plumbing
  
• Rural areas still behind
• Automobile affects both areas
• Small towns lose population to larger cities
• Rapid population growth in Texas- Houston largest
  city
  
• Houston ship channel helps growth of city
• Oil continues to be found in
• Military influences grows
• Farmers and workers attempts to organize fails

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XI. Life in the Roaring Twenties

• Much concern about morality of the 1920s
• Many condemned the excessive behavior- drinking,
  gambling, dress, music, crime rate, midnight joy
  riding
  
• KKK went after people thought to be social
  misfits
  
• Movie censor boards, laws against social
  misbehaving, dress
  

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• Women get right to vote, find urban jobs, wages
  still much less than men
  
• Blacks move to cities or elsewhere
• Music- jazz and African American musicians-
  accepted by white listeners,
  
• Segregation remains the norm, voting still
  restricted
  
• Mexican Americans population begins to increase,
  movement into other areas of the state- still
  prejudice and discrimination
  
• LULAC founded 1919

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• State begins to improve schools- more money, free
  textbooks, consolidated rural school districts-
  schools still behind rest of country
  
• Curriculum improved- vocational and business
  training, health programs, better teaching
  methods, student testing
  
• Segregation evident, attempts to control teaching
  of evolution
  
• Junior college movement
• More state schools built, but not enough to keep
  up with demands