Texas Almanac, 1954-1955 Page: 71
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BRIEF HISTORY OF TEXAS 71
Jerry Sadler, 103,120; John Lee Smith,
102,941. In the runoff primary Jester de-
feated Rainey, 701,018 to 355,654.
The Fiftieth Legislature meeting in
Governor Jester's first administration
submitted a number of important amend-
ments to the Constitution which were
adopted by the people notably one abol-
ishing the state ad valorem tax for gen-
eral revenue purposes, and one reducing
the Confederate pension tax from 7c to 2c
and levying a 5c tax for the state col-
leges. On April 16, 1947, the explosion at
Texas City of the French SS Grandcamp,
loaded with chemicals, killed 512 people
and injured 3,000, with property damage
of $40,000,000 to $70,000,000.
Governor Jester was re-elected in 1948.
Most notable race that year was between
former Gov. Coke R. Stevenson and U.S.
Representative Lyndon B. Johnson for
U.S. Senator. Stevenson led in the first
primary but the count in the second pri-
mary gave Johnson an 87-vote lead, the
closest major race in Texas political his-
tory. The Fifty-first Legislature set a
landmark in Texas educational history
by enacting the Gilmer-Aikin law, reor-
ganizing the public-school system of the
state. (See index, "Gilmer-Aikin Act.")
Support of public schools, higher educa-
tion and state hospitals was increased.
The regular session of the Fifty-first
Legislature was the longest in Texas his-.
tory. It began Jan. 11, 1948, and ad-
journed July 6, a period of 177 days.
Following the sudden death of Gover-
nor Jester, July 11, 1949, Lt. Gov. Allan
Shivers became the state's chief executive.
Gov. Allan Shivers (July 11, 1949, to
present), served out the unexpired term
of Governor Jester and was nominated
in the Democratic primary of 1950 in a
race with six other candidates, receiving
829,730 votes out of a total of 1,086,564.
The Fifty-second Legislature, which met
in January, 1951, was faced with the
problems of financing an increased state
budget, redistricting the state for Senate
and House legislative districts, congres-
sional districts and others.
The controversy between the Federal
Government and the individual states
over ownership of the tidelands reached
a crucial stage for Texas, when the
United States Supreme Court, June 5,
1950, decided by a vote of 4 to 3 (two not
voting) that Texas had lost ownership of
its submerged off-shore lands when it en-
tered the Union. Later the court refused
a petition for rehearing and Texas offi-
cials sought to have Congres quitclaim
to Texas, and other states. (The Supreme
Court decided the three cases of Califor-
nia, Texas and Louisiana separately, but
these decisions were accepted as affecting
all coastal submerged lands.)
Two quitclaim bills passed by Congress
were vetoed by President Truman and
there was failure to override the veto.
The tidelands issue became a leading one
in the presidential campaign of 1952, with
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican)
favoring state ownership and Gov. AdlaiStevenson of Illinois (Democrat) favoring,
federal ownership.
Texas Atty. Gen. Price Daniel, who had
led the fight before the Supreme Court,
-announced for United States Senator
against Senator Tom Connally Who with-
drew from the race. Under the political
leadership of Governor Shivers, Attorney
General Daniel and others anti-Truman
forces took control of the Texas Demo-
cratic party organization and conven-
tions. The entire Democratic state ticket,
with one exception, was nominated by
the Republican party under the statute
permitting cross filing. (See index for
"Elections" for details of the race.)
Price Daniel won over the Truman-
Democrat aspirant, Lindley Beckworth, in
the Democratic primary and ran on both
tickets in the general election. In the
Senate he led in the renewal of the fight
for a quitclaim bill which was passed and
signed by President Eisenhower May 22,
1953. The act restored tidelands, or sub-
merged coastal lands, to state ownership,
extending ownership to "historic limits."
This meant three miles in all states ex-
cept Texasand the West Coast of Florida
where the Spanish law of three leagues,
or about10.5 miles prevails.
The Fifty-third Legislature, 1953, was
confronted by the problem of meeting
great demands for additional expendi-
tures. There was pressure for a pay raise
for Texas public schoolteachers, and an
act granting a $600 annual raise was
passed, but disallowed by the State Comp-
troller because there was not sufficient
revenue in sight to meet the expense. A
toll road authority was set up, and the
state's water code was strengthened.
Eleven constitutional amendments were
submitted to the people for the general
election, Nov. 2, 1954. (See index for
"Constitutional Amendments.") Legisla-
ture failed to reapportion for congres-
sional districts, leaving them as they were
last redistricted by the Forty-third Legis-
lature in 1933. (See index for "Congres-
sional Districts.") There was failure also
to enact a law effecting certain rule-mak-
Ing authority in criminal procedure. (See
index for "Legislation" for summary of
all general laws enacted by the Fifty-
third Legislature.)
An emergency condition arising during
Governor Shivers' administration has been
the failing Texas water supply. Over a
long period rapid increase in water con-
sumption for municipal, industrial and
agricultural purposes has taxed the ca-
pacity of Texas' surface reservoirs and
underground resources. The drouth in
most parts of the state during 1951, 1952
and extending through the first half of
1953, created acute water shortages in
more than a hundred cities and towns
and created conditions, especially in the
cattle country, that caused Presidemt Ei-
senhower to acquiesce to demands for
federal drouth aid.
Summary.
The foregoing account of Texas from
the earliest explorations until the present
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Texas Almanac, 1954-1955, book, 1953; Dallas, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117168/m1/73/?q=waco+tornado: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.