By Alvarado H.C.R. No. 318 75R17159 SAJ-D HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The passing of the Honorable Ralph Webster 1-2 Yarborough on January 27, 1996, at the age of 92, brought a great 1-3 loss to the family and many friends of this distinguished native 1-4 Texan and former member of the United States Senate; and 1-5 WHEREAS, He was born in 1903 in Chandler and attended Sam 1-6 Houston State College and the United States Military Academy at 1-7 West Point, New York; after teaching school for three years, he 1-8 enrolled in The University of Texas School of Law, graduating from 1-9 that institution with honors in 1927; and 1-10 WHEREAS, A specialist in land law, he went on to become an 1-11 assistant attorney general and, in a landmark case, helped to 1-12 secure for the state's permanent school fund the interest money on 1-13 nearly 4,000,000 acres of land; he was a respected jurist as well 1-14 and served as a district judge in Austin before becoming a 1-15 presiding judge over 30 counties in Central Texas; and 1-16 WHEREAS, Like many of his generation, Senator Yarborough 1-17 proudly served his country during World War II as a member of the 1-18 United States Army, and he rose through the ranks of the military 1-19 to become a lieutenant colonel; after the war ended, he was named 1-20 military governor of Japan's Honshu Province, and his valor and 1-21 meritorious service throughout his military career earned him both 1-22 the Bronze Star and the Battle Star; and 1-23 WHEREAS, In addition to his remarkable contributions in these 1-24 areas, Senator Yarborough will be well remembered for his 2-1 outstanding career in the United States Senate; he first won 2-2 election to that office in April of 1957 and went on to serve his 2-3 state and nation with the utmost integrity and distinction for 13 2-4 years; and 2-5 WHEREAS, Senator Yarborough was inspired by the goals 2-6 advocated in President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal of the 2-7 1930's and 1940's; he truly envisioned himself as the people's 2-8 servant and was dedicated to restoring fairness, justice, and 2-9 economic opportunity for all Americans; indeed, shortly before the 2-10 November 22, 1963, assassination in Dallas, President John 2-11 Fitzgerald Kennedy said of the prolific federal legislator: "Ralph 2-12 Yarborough speaks for Texas in the United States Senate, and he 2-13 also speaks for our nation, and he speaks for progress for our 2-14 people"; and 2-15 WHEREAS, A staunch advocate of equal rights, he earned 2-16 further distinction as the only Southern senator to vote for the 2-17 Civil Rights Act of 1964; he chaired the Labor and Public Welfare 2-18 Committee and sponsored or actively supported nearly every piece of 2-19 legislation in President Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs of 2-20 the 1960's; and 2-21 WHEREAS, Senator Yarborough's experience as a teacher 2-22 fostered his abiding commitment to public education; he was 2-23 instrumental in the creation of the country's first Bilingual 2-24 Education Act, and as the sponsor of a Cold War GI Bill, he helped 2-25 to extend education benefits to 5,000,000 veterans; and 2-26 WHEREAS, This illustrious statesman further enhanced the 2-27 quality of life of his fellow citizens through his work on health 3-1 care and social security legislation, and his involvement extended 3-2 to the area of natural resources as well, for he helped to preserve 3-3 the beauty of the South Texas coast by authoring legislation 3-4 establishing the Padre Island National Seashore and many other 3-5 national parks and preserves in the state; and 3-6 WHEREAS, Firmly believing that every human being is best 3-7 viewed as an asset, rather than as a liability, this renowned 3-8 lawmaker's philosophy was quaintly summarized by his 3-9 frequently-expressed hope that ". . . the jam be kept on the lower 3-10 shelf so the little people can reach it . . ."; and 3-11 WHEREAS, Ralph Yarborough further contributed to the 3-12 political culture of our country by inspiring those who have 3-13 followed in his footsteps, and he has left behind a legacy of 3-14 outstanding achievements that will endure in the hearts and minds 3-15 of future generations for many years to come; now, therefore, be it 3-16 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas, 3-17 Regular Session, 1997, hereby honor the memory of former United 3-18 States Senator Ralph Webster Yarborough and extend sincere sympathy 3-19 to the members of his family: to his beloved wife, Opal Warren 3-20 Yarborough; to his brother, Donald V. Yarborough; to his sisters, 3-21 Nell Yarborough Mallet and Margaret Yarborough Pickett; to his 3-22 three grandchildren; and to the many other friends and relatives of 3-23 this eminent public official; and, be it further 3-24 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 3-25 prepared for the members of his family and that when the Texas 3-26 House of Representatives and Senate adjourn this day, they do so in 3-27 memory of the Honorable Ralph Webster Yarborough.