Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 19
January 11, 1968
NUMBER 35, PAGE 11a

Brotherhood Renovation And Urban Renewal

Bill McCuistion

An overwhelming victory of the "anti-element" — 12,860 to 2,700! These were the results of the voting in the recent Urban Renewal campaign in Beaumont, Texas, not the returns from a "brotherhood" survey over current issues. It is, however, extremely interesting to note the familiar ring in the jargon of those involved in the controversy. I was especially impressed with the appearance that progressives on the march in any case seem to employ identical elements of vocabulary.

In the aforementioned city election, the conservative element pled for work to be done on a local level-with local funds and the autonomy and independence of the home town. They expressed fear of "centralized control" and the "Federal Bulldozer."

On the other side of the question a one-half page article in the Beaumont Enterprise included the following outbursts: "The Big Swing is under way!" "Get Beaumont off dead center!" "Let's push it over the top!" "859 cities can't be wrong!" "Join the victory swing!" The conservatives were referred to in such terms as: "the aginners", the "anti-element", and the "never-never boys who have retarded Beaumont's growth for generations" and led the city "down the path of stagnation and decay."

It would appear that, at least in this area, the area, the "town-to-metropolis" evolutionary process (e.g. Ernest Troeltsch or somebody) has been starved off for awhile.

5475 Cole Road, Beaumont, Texas 77708