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ig tatse lhat,s call uirlng: ling to I But ,d if I ich on j. I’veToZoo■CUP)-mpi-'.e isl life the0 gov-eir ca-1 Clm--istri'C-ZEOpen LetterLaredo, Tcxal Novembei, 1. 1032 Hon, Robert Lee Bobbitt, /Laredo, Tixas,Dear friend:—I note with interest that you will preside as chairman of the Independent Club political rally tonight, and that you will be ona of the speakers together with A, R, Garcia, M. J, Raymond, Laopoldo Villegas, Sduarda Idar, Edward R. Leyendecker, W. E. Morgan and Fares Sanchez, according to Sunday's announcement. Knowing that you sire equally interested with me in the welfare, progress, and stability of the community in which both of us have lived for the pa*st fifteen years, I thought it proper to suggest that regardless of possible differences of opinions politically, we might, just at this crucial time join hands In an attempt.to give the citizens of this, our community, an equal opportunity to express themselves at the voting polls tomorrow in a fair and impartial manner anti with absolute freedom of conscience, as provided for them in the constitutions of our state and nation.You and I are both members of. respective churches in Laredo andboth believe in religious freedom. You and I have both served many yearsas a director, and in various official capacities of our local Chamber of Commerce and hnvo worked untiringly for the good of our community at large. You and I have both served as chairman of the local chapter of the American Red Cross, and in this connection, you will remember that in this capacity I had the duty of caring for hundreds of our Mexican citizens who were washed out of their homes in the great flood of 1922. Youwill remember that the Red Cross quickly set up food kitchens and a clothing depot in a building owned by the late A. M. Bruni, where hundreds of our Mexican friends Were fed and clothed, and this reminds' mo that my friends 0. W. Killam, housed and fed several hundreds of thesedestitute people at his homo on the heights.During the Great War, you and I volunteered our services to our country and served wherever called or required. You and I served as Post Commander of Laredo Post No. 59 of the American Legion. When I took charge of the office, the Post was in debt approximately $1,590. Suits were about to be filed for the collection of some of these debts. At tha end of my term of office, the Post was clear of debt and the way was Paved for future progress, and I have always appreciated the loyalty and cooperation of the members of the American Legion during my tenure in office.I note that in yesterday's Laredo Times, you personally endorsed Ma Ferguson for governor, who heads the State Democratic ticket and that you personally endorsed the candidacy of C. M, do la Garza, L. Villegasand Ed, Villarreal at tire bottom of the Democratic ticket. Being interested primarily in our county ticket, I am wondering if it would not be apropos that in order to clarify the situation materially, for you to state tonight in your public meeting whether or not you are personally endorsing the past records of each individual candidate supported by the Independent Club for various county off res and their individual fitness for the respective offices to which they aspire? I believe that we both are in position to influence from the public platform the manner in which our citizens will vote, and since the Independent Club has delayed their part of the debate to the eleventh hour with no opportunity of rebuttal on the part of their opposition. I dcCm it my privilege and a duty to request you to personally answer »the following additional questions from the platform of the Independent Club tonight. When endorsing your county ticket as a whole, did you make any mental reservations regarding any particular individual candidate? Have you inquired into the past official records of each candidate to intelligently advise the voters how to vote? As spokesman for the party tonight, do you deny or affirm my presentation of gross inequalities in taxation, recently presented? Are you familiar with such facts as I have presented, a copy of which I herewith enclose? Will you kindly request Justo S. Penn and each of the county commissioners to state tonight whether the facts as I have given relative to my alleged gross inequalities in taxation are true or false? Please ask Mr. J. M. Martin if it will'be possible for him to pay his county taxes before December 31st, whereby 1 claim he can save the penalties and interests, leaving a net amount of approximately $5,500. We claim county assessments are made on the valuations of approximately 40% and that Mr. V. L, Puig has several valuable houses just south of the Central School assessed at $1,000 each which is 40% of $2,500, and 1 would like to know if lie would be willing to sell one or more of these houses for $2,500 cash?Again referring to the American Legion and all ex-service men of which you and I are both proud, I would like for you to state whether or not you are personally endorsing your candidate for the office of constable with the knowledge that he was tried for beating up on the streets of Laredo a man who served our country over seas in the great war and whom you and I had invited to Laredo as a guest of the American Legion and tho citizenship of Laredo.You know, of course, Mr. Bobbilt, that my personal interest in the county campaign rests largely on the fact of lowering the enormous tax burden imposed on the over-burdened taxpayers of Webb County, and I am confident you share an equal feeling of responsibility in providing a lower tax schedule for burdened real estate. May I ask you to state your views clearly on this subject tonight and sat forth proper remedies therefor.In my discussion of this subject, and in my discussion of various candidates for office, I have adhered strictly to the public record and have nol dealt with personalities except where personal qualifications or inefficiencies were connected directly with public office. I am going to speak tonight from the Progressive Citizens Party platform the same as you are going to spealc from the platform of the independent Club, and I would consider it beneath my dignity to enter into a discussion of personal affairs of any of your candidates or speakers, and I believe that your record of high-principled ideals will cause you to conduct your meeting t8-night clong simjiar lines.“Pigs is pigs Mr, Bobbitt, so let's give the people a square deal ns you and I understand it, and trusting we may move forward equally interested in the welfare of our community, I am,Yours sincerely,t. G. CLTNGENPEELEGC:jp(Political Advertisement)
Newspaper Details
Laredo Times
Laredo, Texas, US
Mon, Nov 07, 1932
Page 3
Full Page
Clipped by
Texas A.
TX, USA 11 Jan 2024
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