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University Daily Kansan Thursday, Nov. 16. 1961
Presidents Called Him 'Mr. Speaker'
Rayburn 'Just Sam' at Home
By William Johnston
BONHAM, Tex. — (UPI) — In his hometown of Bonham, Mr. Rayburn, was addressed as "Sam" or "Mr. Sam". That was the way he wanted it. When he came home from Washington, he was just one of the homefolks.
Mr. Rayburn was the eighth in a family of 11 children. He was born Jan. 6, 1882, on a farm near Kingston, Tenn. His father, William Marion Rayburn, was a veteran of the Confederate Army.
WHEN MR. RAYBURN WAS five, his parents moved to Texas. They settled on 40 acres near Bonham and planted a cotton crop. The farm was not one of the most productive in the area, and the Rayburns did not make enough money to send all their children to college.
But Sam was determined to go, and his father sent him off to East Texas Normal College with $25 and his blessings. Mr. Rayburn worked his wav through school by sweeping floors for $3 a month.
During his stay at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, Mr. Rayburn reminisced with Chaplain B.F. Bennett about his boyhood.
HE TOLD CHAPLAIN BENNETT about his hard life on the farm and how he had worked his way up to become the second most powerful man in Washington. His power was exceeded only by that of the President, and Mr. Rayburn liked to say he served "with" Presidents, not "under" them.
He had served "with" eight Presidents. The eighth, John F. Kennedy, showed the regard in which he held "Mr. Sam" by flying a 3,100-mile round trip to visit him 15 minutes when he was at Baylor.
Rayburn worked his way from college to the Texas legislature, to Speaker of the Texas legislature, to Congress and to Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. He set his sights on Congress and the Speakership when he was 10 years old and in his last years, having achieved it, said he wanted nothing more.
HE WAS ELECTED TO THE House from the Fourth Texas District in 1912, when he was 30. He became Speaker of the House Sept. 15, 1940.
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when Speaker William B. B. bankhead of Alabama died. His Democratic colleagues reelected him Speaker every time since then when they were in control of the House. That was nine times.
As Speaker, he made $45,000 a year and rode in a $11,000 air-conditioned limousine driven by a chauffeur.
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Despite his conservative background, he followed a liberal line at the sides of Presidents Roosevelt. Truman and Kennedy. He helped Roosevelt with his "New Deal" legislation, Truman with his "Fair Deal" and Kennedy with his "New Frontier."
IF MR. RAYBURN DID NOT like a proposed piece of legislation, it had little or no chance of passing. He did not hesitate to tell presidents about his likes and dislikes and they called him "Mr. Speaker."
If he wanted legislation passed, he pleaded, cajoled or threatened until he usually got a majority.
In Washington, he lived for more than 30 years in the same one-bedroom bachelor apartment. When Congress was adjourned or in recess, he usually returned to Bonham.
In reaction to his death, many of Mr. Rayburn's congressional colleagues, both Republicans and Democrats, referred to him as a man "who placed the well-being of the
country ahead of partisan politics."
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"I know that the sorrow in Democratic hearts will be shared by those Republicans in the Congress who admired him as a man and respected him as an opponent," said Democratic National Chairman John Bailey.
Mr. Bailey noted that Speaker Rayburn served as "a moving force in the administration of four Democratic Presidents" and said Democrats particularly "are heartstick with grief over the passing of the man all of us affectionately regarded as "Mr. Democrat."
"... RAYBURN WAS A Democrat who always placed his beloved country ahead of partisanship." Mr. Bailey said. "His death is a grievous loss for his country and the free people of the world."
Senate Republican Leader Everett M. Dirksen, Ill., said Mr. Rayburn "was impeccably fair and his respect for the rights of the minority party was a household word."
Current Events Forum Friday
The Current Events Forum will be held at 4 p.m. Friday in the Browsing Room of the Student Union.
"Iran: How Much U.S. Intervention" will be the topic discussed. Speakers are E. A. Bayne of the American Universities Field Staff and Dean Burton Marvin of the William Allen White School of Journalism.
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