Block, Upload, Automoderated users, edit, move, protect, rollback
57,799
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Line 24:
Line 24: − + + +
→College years
(2) In those days, Arkansas was a rock-ribbed, solid, yellow-dog Democrat state. ... political machines were spawned in various counties and they corrupted the elections by any means deemed necessary. .... The Republican Party had to be convinced that it must really work in Arkansas and across the South to help establish a viable, competitive two-party system. There was no chance for Arkansas to move forward until it could become a doubtful state in presidential elections.<ref>Cobb, p. 14</ref></blockquote>
(2) In those days, Arkansas was a rock-ribbed, solid, yellow-dog Democrat state. ... political machines were spawned in various counties and they corrupted the elections by any means deemed necessary. .... The Republican Party had to be convinced that it must really work in Arkansas and across the South to help establish a viable, competitive two-party system. There was no chance for Arkansas to move forward until it could become a doubtful state in presidential elections.<ref>Cobb, p. 14</ref></blockquote>
Cobb left Henderson for a year when the family lumber mill at Caddo Gap burned -- a $100,000 loss. In the summer of 1924, he went to Union County in south Arkansas to work in the oil boom in an office at Norphlet near Smackover. He recalls a bizarre murder case there. A barber in Norphlet offered Cobb some cake that the man's wife had mailed to him from [[Oklahoma]]. The cake was, however, saturated with poison, and the barber quickly died on eating it. On an errand, Cobb delayed eating the cake and later reflected that he "felt the Lord had intervened to take care of me. In fact, I have been spared on several occasions, and I feel there has been a divine protector looking after me."<ref>Cobb, pp. 16-17</ref>
Cobb applied for a Rhodes scholarship, but the 1925 appointment went to [[J. William Fulbright]], a student at the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville, who later became the UA president and a long-term U.S. senator.<ref>Cobb, p. 13</ref> Cobb organized a Republican club at Henderson, having received encouragement from some of the faculty members. He became acquainted with Harmon L. Remmel of Little Rock, the Republican national committeeman during much of the 1920s and arranged to have his older friend Remmel to deliver the 1925 commencement address at Henderson.<ref>Cobb, p. 15</ref>
Cobb applied for a Rhodes scholarship, but the 1925 appointment went to [[J. William Fulbright]], a student at the [[University of Arkansas]] at Fayetteville, who later became the UA president and a long-term U.S. senator.<ref>Cobb, p. 13</ref> Cobb organized a Republican club at Henderson, having received encouragement from some of the faculty members. He became acquainted with Harmon L. Remmel of Little Rock, the Republican national committeeman during much of the 1920s and arranged to have his older friend Remmel to deliver the 1925 commencement address at Henderson.<ref>Cobb, p. 15</ref>