Modern Texas Part 1, 1949-1973

Born: October 5, 1907, in Lufkin, Texas

Early Career: Shivers attended high school in Port Arthur and was an outstanding student at the University of Texas. He practiced law in Port Arthur before winning election to the Texas Senate in 1934, at age 27 the youngest member ever to sit in that body. He entered the Army during World War II and served in North Africa, Italy, France, and Germany. He was discharged as a major, with five battle stars and the Bronze Star. In 1946 he was elected lieutenant governor and worked closely with Beauford Jester on an ambitious modernization program. He became governor upon Jester's death.

Accomplishments: Shivers set the stage for the emergence of Texas as a powerful modern state. He helped create the Legislative Council and Legislative Budget Board to put the making of laws on a more professional footing. He was able to pass tax increases to upgrade state services across the board.

The most important issue faced by Shivers was his defense of state claims to the Tidelands, off-shore oil reserves in the Gulf of Mexico. Texas had held title to the submerged lands of the Gulf since the Republic of Texas days, and had dedicated its revenues to the public school fund. After oil was discovered offshore, federal officials tried to seize the Tidelands of Texas and other oil-producing states. This action precipitated the biggest crisis between state and federal authority since the Civil War. In 1952, Shivers broke with the national Democratic party over the issue and helped deliver the state's electoral votes to Dwight Eisenhower, an event that marked the rebirth of the Republican party in Texas. Finally, the Tidelands were returned to the states through federal legislation.

Later years: Shivers managed vast business enterprises in the Rio Grande Valley and served as an executive for a number of banks. He served on and chaired the University of Texas Board of Regents in the 1970s. He died January 14, 1985.

Handbook of Texas article about Governor Allan Shivers

View Photographs of Governor Allan Shivers
 

Letter on Shivers' rebellion against the Democratic party

Born: October 10, 1910, in Dayton, Texas

Early Career: Daniel earned a law degree from Baylor University and practiced law in Liberty County. A popular defense attorney, he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1939. He earned the respect of his colleagues as an outspoken member of the "Immortal 56," an alliance opposed to a state sales tax, and was elected speaker in 1943. He served as a judge advocate general in the Army during World War II, seeing service in the Pacific and Japan. Upon his return he became the youngest state attorney general in the United States, representing the state in the Tidelands controversy and in the fight against integration of the University of Texas law school. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1952, where he distinguished himself in passing stringent narcotics regulation.

Accomplishments: Daniel said he would "rather be Governor of Texas than President of the United States," and in 1957 he got his wish. He was highly successful in promoting continued modernization and expansion of state services. A devoted student of history, he established the Texas State Library and Archives Building and helped design the facility himself. Ironically, he lost popularity after the passage of a state sales tax, a measure he had fought his entire political career.

Later years: Daniel returned to private practice. During the administration of President Lyndon Johnson, he headed the Office of Emergency Preparedness and also served as Johnson's liasion to the nation's governors. He was appointed to the Texas Supreme Court in 1971 and served for eight years. He was also a trustee of Baylor University and served in numerous religious and civic organizations. In fact, he held more offices of public trust than anyone else in Texas history. He died August 25, 1988.

Handbook of Texas article about Governor Price Daniel

View Photographs of Governor Price Daniel
 

Letter from the state archivist on the new State Library
and Archives building

Born: February 27, 1917, near Floresville, Texas

Early Career: Connally distinguished himself at the University of Texas, where he received a law degree in 1941. He had already passed the bar examination before graduation and begun his career in politics on the staff of Congressman Lyndon Baines Johnson, the beginning of a life-long association. Connally was commissioned in the U.S. Navy Reserve during World War II and served as a fighter director aboard aircraft carriers in the Pacific, enduring nine major battles. Leaving the service as a lieutenant commander, he became known as a political mastermind, running LBJ's political campaigns from Congress to the White House, and also serving as legal counsel to oilman Sid Richardson. He served as secretary of the navy in President John F. Kennedy's cabinet before winning the governorship.

Accomplishments: Handsome, shrewd, and dramatic, Connally personified Texas as many Texans liked to see themselves. Connally saw education as the most important way to address Texas' social problems, and succeeded in financing higher teacher salaries, better libraries, and improved research and doctoral programs in the universities. He continued the reformation of state government, worked on developing Texas as a tourist destination, and established cultural initiatives ranging from the arts to history to the Hemisfair '68 world's fair in San Antonio.

Later years: After leaving the governorship, Connally joined the powerful law firm of Vinson and Elkins and became a foreign-policy advisor to President Richard Nixon. In 1971 he became Secretary of the Treasury. He officially switched parties from Democrat to Republican after LBJ's death, and there was wide speculation that he would be appointed vice-president after the resignation of Spiro Agnew, which would have put him on track to become president.

Connally's reputation as a "wheeler-dealer" squelched the appointment, which went to Gerald Ford. In the 1970s, he was involved with business dealings that contributed to this image, especially a milk-price bribery scandal, for which he was tried and acquitted. He ran for president in 1980 but was soundly defeated for the nomination.

In the 1980s Connally went into real estate development with his protege, Ben Barnes, during a boom time in the Texas economy. When the price of oil collapsed in the late 1980s, Connally and Barnes went with it, along with many other wealthy Texans and most of the state's major financial institutions. Connally was forced to declare bankruptcy and hold a highly publicized auction of his belongings. He died on June 15, 1993.

Handbook of Texas article about John Connally

View Photographs of Governor John Connally

 

Thank-you note from the Connallys following his wounding in the assassination of President Kennedy

Born: March 8, 1912, in Williamson County, Texas

Early Career: Smith grew up one of 13 children of a poor tenant farmer. He worked his way through high school and college at Texas Tech during the darkest days of the Depression. With a partner, he opened a movie theater in Lubbock and by 1944 he owned six theaters. He was elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1944 and to the Texas Senate in 1956. He was elected lieutenant governor in 1962. He concentrated his efforts on working with the state's business interests.

Accomplishments: Smith was dedicated to improved higher education. He signed into law new universities and brought several existing colleges into the university system. He also helped establish new medical, dental, and law schools in the state. Criminal justice was also a focus of Smith's term, which saw the first comprehensive drug abuse program in Texas. Another focus was the passage of the first minimum wage law in the state. Many Texans also remember Smith's participation in the "Drive Friendly" auto safety campaign.

Smith's second term was dominated by fallout from the Sharpstown scandal, which destroyed the career of House Speaker Gus Mutscher, derailed Lieutenant Governor Ben Barnes, and resulted in the defeat of many long-term office-holders in the 1972 election.

Later years: Smith returned to Lubbock and was active in civic and business affairs. He attempted a comeback in 1978 but was defeated in the primary. He later chaired the Coordinating Board for Texas College and Universities (now the Higher Education Coordinating Board). In his later years, Smith worked at Texas Tech University as a special assistant to the chancellor. He died on October 18, 2003.

Handbook of Texas article about Governor Preston Smith 

View Photographs of Governor Preston Smith
 

Letter on water problems