ABOUT THIS BOOK

Four men played leading roles in the political drama that unfolded in South Texas during the first decades of this century:

James B. Wells, who ruled as boss of Cameron County and served as leading conservative spokesman of the Democratic Party in Texas;

Archer (Archie) Parr, whose ruthless tactics and misuse of public funds in Duval County established him as one of the most notoriously corrupt politicians in Texas history;

Manuel Guerra, Mexican American rancher and merchant whose domination of Starr County mirrored the rule of his Anglo counterparts in the border region;

John Nance Garner, who served the interests of these bosses of South Texas as he set forth on the road that would lead him to the United States vice-presidency.

Evan Anders's Boss Rule in South Texas tells the story of these men and the county rings they shaped in South Texas during the Progressive Era.

Power was the byword of the bosses of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, and Anders explores the sources of that power. These politicos did not shirk from using corrupt and even violent means to attain their goals, but Anders demonstrates that their keen sensitivity to the needs of their diverse constituency was key to their long-term success. Patronage and other political services were their lifeblood, and the allies gained by these ranged from developers and businessmen to ranchers and Mexican Americans, wealthy and poor.

Besides examining the workings of the Democratic machines of four South Texas counties, Anders explores the role of the Hispanic populace in shaping the politics of the border region, the economic development of the Lower Rio Grande Valley and its political repercussions, the emergence and nature of progressive movements at both local and state levels, and the part played by the Texas Rangers in supporting bossism in South Texas.

AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY

Evan Anders (1946–2008) was Professor of History at the University of Texas at Arlington.

REVIEWS

If Watergate left you troubled over the ethical standards of our political leaders, perhaps you shouldn't read this close-up look at South Texas political bosses of the early 1900s. They make Dick Nixon and company look like an order of Benedictine monks.

— Fort Worth Star-Telegram

... an admirable and extremely able study which should find its way to the shelves of anyone interested in Texas political history.

— Houston Chronicle

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction
1. The Wells Machine
2. The Customs House Gang
3. Assault against the Guerra Machine of Starr County
4. Wells and State Politics: The House Years
5. Wells and State Politics: The Progressive Challenge
6. The Election of John Nance Garner to Congress
7. Trouble with Washington
8. Political Upheaval in South Texas
9. Archie Parr and Duval County
10. The Wilson Administration and Federal Patronage
11. Tension along the Border, 1911–1918
12. State Politics: The Closing Battles
Conclusion: The Last Hurrah for James Wells
Notes
References
Index