Cbe
Battalion
Vol. 69 No. 26
Copyright © 1975. The Battalion
College Station, Texas
Wednesday, Oct. 15, 1975
Pacific lacks Southern
funds to finance move
Pres. Elliott
Bowers of Sam
Houston State
University pre
sented this ceram
ic bull to Sen.
William T. Moore
during an appre
ciation program
honoring the Sen
ator yesterday.
The bull’s burnt
orange cape car
ries a familiar
nickname for the
5th District legis
lator.
Staff photo by Steve Goble
By JERRY NEEDHAM
Battalion Staff Writer
(This is the fourth in a series of articles concerning
he railroad situation in College Station and Bryan.)
Southern Pacific Railroad Company offi-
ials said last week that they are willing to
liscuss a track relocation but they are in no
position to finance it.
"It would he quite a financial undertak-
ingto relocate the tracks and we have other
financial priorities at this time, Tony
Aleman, Southern Pacific spokesman, said.
Aleman said there are more issues in
volved than just moving the tracks.
He said one of the main points to he
considered hy the railroad company is the
revenues generated by the businesses
served in Bryan.
Aleman said there are two choices to
consider concerning the businesses.
The people that own those industries or
plants can move their businesses elsewhere
or we can continue to serv e them and just
move a portion of the tracks, he said.
Aleman said Southern Pacific’s main line
goes through Bryan-College Station. He
said this means that if relocation were to
occur, the new tracks would have to be laid
before the old one coidd be removed.
If the tracks were relocated outside of the
urban area, it would also involve moving
some of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Com
pany’s tracks.
Missouri Pacific owns tracks to the edge
of Bryan, but leases Southern Pacific s
tracks from Bryan to Navasota.
Missouri Pacific’s part in the venture
would be miniscule, a company official said
Tuesday. “We would be involved to the
extent that we would have to work out a
new agreement to use Southern Pacific’s
tracks,” the spokesman said.
Aleman said Southern Pacific would also
have to go through proceedings with the
Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC).
“Whenever a railroad company aban
dons any kind of track, it has to receive
permission from the ICC, ’ he said.
Aleman said the number of daily runs on
the tracks is stable. Any increase in the
number would be tied to the economy, he
Gov. Dolph Bris
coe (left) and Sen.
William T. Moore
chat during cere
monies honoring
the Bryan legisla
tor yesterday at
Washington-on-
the-Brazos State
Park. The “Bill
Moore Day” bar-
beque attracted
thousands of well-
wishers at $2.50 a
head who feted
the man whom
Briscoe said has
left “footprints of
progress on the
destiny of the
Lone Star State.”
Staff photo by Steve Goble
said.
Aleman said the company has not been
contacted by anybody interested in moving
the railroad.
“Right now nobody’s conducted a study
as to where the tracks could go. That would
have to be done before we coidd consider a
move,” he said.
Briscoe nicknames Moore
at appreciation barbeque
By JIM PETERS
Contributor
The praise was of a sort usually reserved
for such names as John Nance Garner, Sam
Rayburn or Lyndon Johnson. The setting:
the birthplace of Texas Independence.
The event was Bill Moore Day Tuesday
at Washington-on-the-Brazos State Park,
west of Navasota.
Between four and five thousand
gathered for the appreciation program
honoring Democrat William T. Moore of
Bryan, who has been the 5th District’s state
senator for 27 years.
Governor Dolph Briscoe praised the col
orful and often-controversial Senator for “a
service and record that is unequaled in the
history of the Texas Legislature.
The Governor also coined a new
nickname for the 57-year-old Moore, who
is probably best known as the “Bull of the
Brazos for his aggressive espousal of his
views.
“I think of him as the Rock,” Briscoe
said. “You good people . . . have not built
your representation in the Texas Senate on
sand but on a rock.
“Sen. Moore has been a rock when com -
Governor urges ‘against’ vote
Associated Press
Gov. Dolph Briscoe said Tuesday he
thinks the 1876 constitution is better than
the proposed new constitution and urged
voters to reject all eight propositions on the
Nov. 4 ballot.
The long awaited decision of the gover
nor on the new state policy document was a
surprise to many who had expected him to
endorse at least part of the proposal.
“There is no question in my mind that
some parts of these propositions could lead
to improvements in state and local gov
ernment but unfortunately they are linked
to other changes that would lead to higher
spending and higher taxes while removing
many needed restraints on government,”
he told a news conference.
Briscoe made it clear as he read a long
statement on his stand that his prime objec
tion was against annual sessions of the legis
lature. But he had a long list of other objec
tions also.
“I am unalterably opposed to annual ses
sions of the legislature, he said, as he has
said previously. “There is, in my opinion,
nothing in the Legislative-Executive Arti
cles of the new constitution that in any
small degree offsets the detrimental effect
of annual sessions of the legislature. ”
He said that “my natural desire has been
Peyton McKnight
to support the entire document or at least
be able to support part of it. ” He praised
the Constitutional Revision Commission
and the state officials and legislators who
worked to prepare the proposal for submis
sion to voters on Nov. 4. Then he added:
“It is my personal view that the current
constitution under which Texas has grown
and prospered for a century is preferable to
the proposed new constitution. Accord
ingly, I believe it is in the best interests of
Texas that all eight propositions on the bal
lot be rejected.”
Briscoe spoke shortly before Lt. Gov.
Bill Hobby told a crowd in Paris that adop
tion of the new constitution would free
Texas state government “from the shackles
it has worn for almost 100 years.
Speaker Bill Clayton gave similar sup
port in a constitutional seminar at Victoria
Tuesday night.
Atty. Gen. John Hill said, in a statement
Tuesday, that “the new constitution will
serve our citizens much better than the
old” and urged financial support of the
drive for adoption. He said he had written
300 personal letters asking financial assis
tance for the campaign and had received
about $5,000.
“The proposed constitution which is
being presented is a good, basic docu
ment, Hobby told the Paris Chamber of
Commerce. “It is not perfect, because we
are not perfect, but, it is an admirable and
impressive constitution. Its adoption will
free our government from the shackles it
has worn for almost 100 years.
On the other side, Richard Harvey,
Tyler rancher-businessman representing
the organization United Business and In
dustry Inc., said a survey of the group indi
cated the membership was 96 per cent
against adoption of the new constitution.
Harvey said the prediction was based on 50
replies received from a questionnaire sent
the 400 members.
“We believe the greatest opposition
comes over the idea of annual sessions of
the legislature, Harvey told a news con
ference. “The people simply believe that
. the less the legislature is in session, the less
chance they have to foul things up, to put it
bluntly.
Sen. Peyton McKnight
Moore echoes plea
to reject all articles
By JERRY NEEDHAM
Battalion Staff Writer
Gov. Dolph Briscoe was the guest'
speaker at the “Bill Moore Day festivities
at Washington-on-the-Brazos Park just
hours after his announcement urging vot
ers to reject the proposed state constitu
tion.
Moore s statement that “I’m glad to say
that Gov. Briscoe came out against all eight
articles of the proposed constitution to
day,” was followed by applause and cheers
from the large crowd.
T am convinced that annual legislative
sessions would mean higher state spend
ing, Briscoe said, “and it would head us
down the road to a state income tax which
we do not need and should not have.
Asked why he waited so long to an
nounce his decision Briscoe replied, “I
wanted to give it a complete and thorough
study. . . . After a thorough and exhaustive
study by my staff and myself, I am con
vinced this state will be much better off
under our existing constitution.”
Sen. Peyton McKnight, D-Tyler, chair
man of a statewide organization opposing
the proposed constitution and a former
member of the Texas A&M University
Board of Directors (now Board of Regents),
said this “was a propitious moment” for
Briscoe to announce his decision.
McKnight said he didn’t know if Briscoe
would travel around the state to speak out
against the proposed constitution, but he
felt the publicity accompanying his an
nouncement would greatly help the anti
revision cause.
Most government officials and members
of the Capitol press corps are in favor of the
new constitution, McKnight said.
“But, in my opinion, most of the people
of the state are against it,” he said.
“I think Briscoe’s stand will help tre
mendously,” Moore said. “It was obvious
to me he wasn’t for the new constitution
because he never had said anything good
about it.”
Friday
Corps
Texas A&M’s uniformed stu*
dents hit the road Friday, for
the first 1975 football season
Corps Trip.
The 2,300-cadet movement
to Fort Worth will be followed
by a Houston Corps Trip in
November.
A 10 a.m. parade in Fort
Worth will put the 36-unit
Corps, Texas Aggie Band and
Parsons Mounted Cavalry on
display. Air Force Brig. Gen.
John Taylor, 301st Tactical
Fighter Wing commander at
Carswell AFB, will review the
Corps.
The Fort Worth A&M Club
plans a reception for President
Jack K. Williams. Set at 9 a.m.
at the Hilton Inn, the coffee also
will involve former students and
friends. Jack Benson, 1963
A&M graduate, heads the club.
The Texas Aggies and TCU
kick off their football meeting at
2 p.m.
Corps Commander Joe
Chandler of San Antonio and
the Corps staff lead off the
first
journey
parade. Units will march south
on Weatherford to 9th Street,
turn left in front of the review
ing stand near the Tarrant
County Convention Center and
return to assembly points on
Grove and Pecan Streets via
Main.
Rear guard of the parade will
be the cavalry troop com
manded by DeWitt “Tall” Elli
son of Aspermont. The 36-rider
troop will stable at the Will Ro
gers Coliseum horse barns.
Gen. Taylor, commander of
the Carswell-based wing two
years, has responsibility for de
tachments at Tinker AFB, Ok-
la., and Hill AFB, Utah.
The command pilot, with 733
hours combat flying, has flown
all over the world. Gen. Taylor’s
6,800 flying hours have been
mostly in fighter aircraft. Deco
rations and awards worn by the
flag-rank officer include the
Silver Star, three Distinguished
Flying Crosses and Purple
Heart, among many others.
age is required. He has been like a rock as
he has fought tor excellence in education in
all the institutions of higher learning . . .
(calling) for the pursuit of decency, good
manners, and strong moral values.
“Sen. Moore has been like a rock as he
has fought for the preservation of our free
enterprise system . . . (he) is a rock when it
comes to loyalty ... a rock where integrity
is concerned.
Departing from his prepared text Bris
coe added:
“Let us take pride in the fact that Texas is
by far the best state in which to be born and
the best state in which to raise a family.
“As we say thanks to Bill and Babe (Mrs.
Moore) let us dedicate ourselves to be par
ticipating citizens in the years ahead and
work along with Bill Moore to build a better
Texas — a better way of life for each Te
xan.”
Known for his ability to move legislation
in and out of committees with the greatest
of ease, Moore was called by Briscoe “one
of the most skilled legislative tacticians
Texas has ever produced.”
That skill also earned Moore a “Special
Worse than Worst Award this year in
Texas Monthly magazine’s biennial awards
for the Best and Worst Texas Legislators.
Sen. Tom Creighton of Mineral Wells
called Moore “one tough, mean son-of-a-
bitch,” citing that trait as the major reason
for his immense power in the Senate.
“He gets his power from his friends.
Sen. Peyton McKnight, D-Tyler, said.
Texas A&M President Jack K. Williams
once told a Battalion reporter that “Moore
is afraid of neither man nor beast.
“Bill Moore will stay and hit, said
George Beto, former head of the Texas De
partment of Corrections and one of the or
ganizers of the special day. Any profits from
the program will go to Moore s next
Senatorial campaign.
During the program, the Prairie View
A&M Band played while judges, clerks,
politicians and citizens from the district s
19 counties milled about the parkgrounds,
sampling free beer provided hy Brenham
area distributors.
The Texas A&M Singing Cadets sang
“Texas Our Texas, the Introduction to the
Declaration of Independence, “This Is My
Country” and the Aggie War Hymn. Later,
fireworks exploded in the night sky as the
thousands waited in lines for their servings
ofbarbecue. A fireworks display featuring a
profile of the pipe-smoking Senator con
cluded the day’s program.
A lifelong resident of the 5th District,
Moore said he got into politic almost by
accident. He earned a degree in economics
from Texas A&M, then went to the Univer
sity of Texas Law School.
“Being a member of the House of Rep
resentatives paid better than operating an
elevator, he said.
He ran for the state Senate two years
later in 1948 and has been there ever since.
He holds second place in seniority to Sen.
A. M. Aikin, Jr., of Paris.
Clyde Wells, chairman of the University
Board of Regents and “representing the
entire Texas A&M family,” presented a
plaque to Moore for his public service. El
liott Bowers, president of Sam Houston
State University, honored Moore with a
ceramic figure of a bull, draped in a burnt
orange cape emblazoned with the words
“Bull of the Brazos.
Campus
Texas
“LOST HORIZON” will be presented
by Aggie Cinema in the classic film series.
This original 1935 version, directed by
Frank Carpa, tells the story of a utopian
society of a city high in the Himalay as.
The movie will he shown at 8:00 p.m.,
Wednesday in the Rudder Theatre. Tickets
may be obtained at the Rudder Box Oflice
for $1.
•
THE MSC DIRECTORATE and Aggie
Players will present ‘The Women Oct.
21-23 at 6:30 p.m. in the MSC Ballroom.
A&M Student/Date tickets are $4.50, gen
eral public tickets are S7.00. The reserva
tion period closes 24 hrs. prior to perfor
mance: tickets are available at the MSC Box
Office. ‘The Women is a satire of the
“Fifth Avenue women of every town.
•
THE SINGING CADETS will present
an open rehearsal for students. The concert
will be in the M.S.C. Lounge at 5 p.m.,
Wednesday.
.•
FRANK MANKIEWICZ will speak on
“Liberalism in Politics Wednesday, Oct.
15, at 8 p.m. in the MSC Ballroom. Man-
kiewicz' has observed Nixon for the last 25
years, and has written two books: “Per
fectly Clear: Nixon from Whittier to
Watergate (1975 best-seller) and “US vs.
Nixon.
He has been active in Democratic poli
tics since 1950 as press secretary to Robert
Kennedy, national political director for
McGovern s presidential campaign, and
Latin American Regional Director of the
Peace Corps. Mankiewicz considers him
self honored by his inclusion on the White
House “enemies list.
A&M students will be admitted for 25c,
all others for $1.00.
IN ALJSTIN, the Texas Supreme Court
announced Tuesday that Texas has 950 new
lawyers. They will be inducted Oct. 21 at
special ceremonies in the Austin Municipal
Auditorium.
National
THE PARENTS of a y outh who died in
Fresno, Calif., after his life-support sy stem
was shut off, say they did not give doctors
permission to unhook a respirator that kept
their son alive for 18 day s after his brain was
destroyed through medical error. They
said that they did not know their son had
died until they read about it in the news
papers .
•
PRESIDENT FORD S ARMORED
LIMOUSINE was hit broadside by a car at
a Hartford, Conn., intersection Tuesday
night, but the President apparently was not
hurt.
The President had addressed a Republi
can fund raising dinner earlier in the even
ing. (See related stories, p. 3 and 8)
World
A SOVIET MATHEMATICIAN favor
ing less Kremlin control over the economy
■and a Dutch-born American pioneer in how
best to use men and machines were jointly
awarded the 1975 Nobel Prize in Economic
Science on Tuesday.
•
GEN. CARLOS FABIAO, head of the
Portugese army, gave in to mutinous sol
diers Tuesday and agreed to reinstate leftist
activists purged from a transport unit in
northern Oporto.