Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Downtown Browntown

Downtown Browntown News
http://downbrowntownnews.blogspot.com/


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BROWNSVILLE'S FIRST CONGRESSMAN
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQumR3tT7VBzub_Gm9vLfm_7u9Lor-Alrj71FnKLcwDhTUqZojyI60Jl_O83fBWrJaC5R3kxFjgtrkXhBPHbIj3bSejlaatPorgSRmKwUt4NnzBDIUwMbP1AdTLMRnfVY7CMBgK2x5Lp8/s1600/IMG_1270.JPG"></a>Congressional candidate and former City Commissioner Anthony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Troiani's</span> new office near the corner of Fifth and Washington was once the residence to the only Congressman in the history of this border city who called Brownsville home. His name was Milton H. West.<br /><br />With Brownsville and Cameron County hoping to have a representative in Congress in the wake of redistricting, most residents aren't aware that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Troiani</span>, should he miraculously triumph, won't be the first politician to carry the Border City's colors to Washington D.C.<br /><br />West was born near Gonzales in 1888. He attended military school in San Antonio before enlisting with the Texas Rangers in 1911. He arrived in Brownsville a lawyer and opened his practice in 1917. In the 1920s he served as both assistant district attorney and district attorney. In 1930 he won a seat as a state representative and served in Austin until 1933.<br /><br />His big break nationally came when John Nance Garner, then Speaker of House, resigned to become Franklin Roosevelt's vice president. West ran as a Democrat with Garner's endorsement and won easily. He served eight consecutive terms until his death in Washington D.C. in 1948. He is buried at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Buena</span> Vista Cemetery.<br /><br />"He was a conservative Democrat in the tradition of Stephen Powers and Jim Wells," said <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">UTB</span>/<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">TSC</span> professor Dr. Anthony <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Zavaleta</span>. "He was both a complicated and stubborn man. With the arrival of the railroads to the Valley at the turn of the 20<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">th</span> century, a large migration of Mid-Westerns moved to the border. They became the dominating political force and West benefited from their support.<br /><br />"West earned the enmity of President Franklin Roosevelt," continued <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Zavaleta</span>. "He and seven other prominent Texas congressman would not support the President's New Deal policies. Roosevelt called them 'copperheads' and campaigned in Texas to have them purged from the party. He failed.<br /><br />"West represented those Democrats who would later become Republicans with the passage of time. If West were alive today, he would feel uncomfortable in Cameron County Judge <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Cascos</span>' Republican Party. Too liberal!"<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/8975636851109159442-5260127466280383244?l=downbrowntownnews.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>
LINK: http://downbrowntownnews.blogspot.com/2012/02/brownsvilles-first-congressman.html

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