thedrifter
10-08-03, 11:06 AM
Former Arkansas Governor Sid McMath dies at age 91
LITTLE ROCK (AP) -- Sid McMath, a war hero, crusading prosecutor and popular governor of Arkansas by age 40, died at his home in Little Rock Saturday night. He was 91.
McMath was released from the hospital Wednesday, after being examined for an irregular heartbeat. His heart stopped beating at 11:15 p.m. Saturday, his son, attorney Phillip McMath, said Sunday.
McMath's careers began with the military, moved to public service as a prosecutor and governor, and finished with a decades-long law practice in Little Rock.
After two terms as governor, McMath spent more than 50 years living down the sting of claims of corruption in his administration, which derailed the career of a political prodigy who seemed destined for national office.
In his book, "Promises Kept," released in 2003, McMath chronicled a dozen years of public service that began with World War II gallantry in the South Pacific and ended in 1952 with his defeat for a third term as governor in the throes of a highway spending scandal that he insisted was politically motivated. McMath appeared at the Arkansas Historical Museum on Friday to promote the book, but did not sign copies.
"The public remembers the charges, but the exonerations are forgotten," McMath said in an October 2002 interview with The Associated Press.
In 1979 and 1999, McMath ranked fourth in polls ranking the top Arkansas governors of the 20th century. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock surveyed Arkansas historians, political scientists, journalists and others.
"He was a young, progressive governor who had cleaned up Hot Springs and done real good things for Arkansas, real tolerant in race, and tried to do a lot for education and roads," said Cal Ledbetter, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. "He was so impressive at one time that there were rumors that Truman would put him on the ticket in 1948."
In a statement released Sunday, Gov. Mike Huckabee praised McMath's ability to work across party lines and said he welcomed the advice that McMath often offered in phone calls.
"His concept and practice of public service was the gold standard of political practice as he transcended the pettiness which marks much of contemporary partisanship," Huckabee said. "He was undeniably and unapologetically a Democrat, but one who loved good government and was willing to commend and praise Republicans for ideas he felt would improve the state or nation."
In the AP interview, McMath highlighted his successes, staunchly defended his administration against corruption charges and spoke of how missed opportunities for national prominence may have been a blessing for him and his family.
"It took me a long time to overcome the allegations that I was corrupt and I had stolen money," he said. "I went out of the governor's office broke, in debt. I had to build a law practice, and that was the great experience of my life."
McMath was born June 14, 1912, on a farm in rural Columbia County. His family moved to Smackover when he was eight, then settled in Hot Springs on his 10th birthday.
As a teen-ager, he developed into an amateur boxer. But his eye was already on higher things.
"I always wanted to be governor from the time I was in high school," he said in a 1989 interview.
He began to show his interest in politics in high school, where he was president of the junior and senior classes, and then in college at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he also was head of the freshman and sophomore classes and of the student body.
After obtaining his law degree in 1936, he joined the Marines, served a year, returned home, joined again and served in World War II.
Home from the war, McMath first gained the post of prosecutor in Hot Springs as part of a GI revolt political movement that ousted a 20-year political machine led by then-Hot Springs Mayor Leo P. McLaughlin.
He also was president of the state Young Democrats, succeeded by his Hot Springs friend and colleague, Henry Woods, who later became a federal judge.
McMath, a Democrat, ran for governor in 1948, shaking thousands of voters' hands day after day in the days before television campaigning.
His handshake impressed many as a mark of sincerity -- he would hold the voter's hand in both of his own while giving the voter a penetrating gaze from his steel-blue eyes. Then he would relax the grip and move on.
"He became my idol when I was an undergrad at the University of Arkansas and he was campaigning for governor," said former U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers, who in the last 20 years became good friends with McMath. "He played a pretty strong role in my own ambition to to get into politics."
He also promised a highway program and school improvements.
His campaign manager was Woods. The result was a pair of two-year gubernatorial terms.
"I love politics," he said years later. "It was a fascinating experience. It gave me the opportunity to do some things ... to take a stand."
McMath persuaded voters to approve a $28 million highway bond program in 1948, at the time the biggest highway construction program in Arkansas history.
Funding for education also grew without a major tax increase, and after he was out of office, McMath continued to put the needs of education high on his list of priorities. He continued to support local efforts to improve education in Arkansas, including efforts to raise taxes for schools.
"I think Sid was the first truly progressive governor the state ever had," Bumpers said. "He was extremely devoted to education and highways."
McMath sought a third term in 1952, but lost the Democratic primary to Francis Cherry, who went on to be elected governor.
A commission in 1952 was investigating allegations of scandals in the state Highway Department during the McMath administration. Grand juries returned indictments against three members of McMath's administration. Juries acquitted two of them and a judge threw out the charges against the third.
Nothing ever directly linked McMath or Woods to any wrongdoing.
McMath went back to his law practice and formed a firm with Woods and LeLand Leatherman in Little Rock.
In 1954, McMath made an unsuccessful attempt to oust Sen. John L. McClellan, a Democrat. In 1962, McMath ran again for gubernatorial nomination, but lost to then-Gov. Orval E. Faubus.
Fifty years after he left the governor's office, McMath remained a crusader for better public schools.
As governor from 1949-53, he was instrumental in reducing the number of school districts across the state from 1,700 to 320. At the end, he thought 308 still were too many.
He also thought no cost should be spared to pay teachers more, reduce the number of districts, enhance school courses, improve classroom technology and strengthen the teaching of math, English, physics, chemistry and art.
"We're going to have to bite the bullet and give education a priority, even if something else has to suffer or somebody has to pay a little more in taxes," he said. "We're going to have to have a strong movement in this state to get the quality of education up so that Arkansas can live out its full potential."
McMath is survived by his wife Betty Dortch Russell McMath, sons Phillip, Sandy and Bruce, daughters Patricia and Melissa, as well as ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Phillip McMath said the family would be meeting Sunday to mourn and plan funeral arrangements.
Originally published Monday, October 6, 2003
http://www.baxterbulletin.com/news/stories/20031006/localnews/396597-144824.jpg
http://www.baxterbulletin.com/news/stories/20031006/localnews/396597.html
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
May He Rest In Peace
LITTLE ROCK (AP) -- Sid McMath, a war hero, crusading prosecutor and popular governor of Arkansas by age 40, died at his home in Little Rock Saturday night. He was 91.
McMath was released from the hospital Wednesday, after being examined for an irregular heartbeat. His heart stopped beating at 11:15 p.m. Saturday, his son, attorney Phillip McMath, said Sunday.
McMath's careers began with the military, moved to public service as a prosecutor and governor, and finished with a decades-long law practice in Little Rock.
After two terms as governor, McMath spent more than 50 years living down the sting of claims of corruption in his administration, which derailed the career of a political prodigy who seemed destined for national office.
In his book, "Promises Kept," released in 2003, McMath chronicled a dozen years of public service that began with World War II gallantry in the South Pacific and ended in 1952 with his defeat for a third term as governor in the throes of a highway spending scandal that he insisted was politically motivated. McMath appeared at the Arkansas Historical Museum on Friday to promote the book, but did not sign copies.
"The public remembers the charges, but the exonerations are forgotten," McMath said in an October 2002 interview with The Associated Press.
In 1979 and 1999, McMath ranked fourth in polls ranking the top Arkansas governors of the 20th century. The University of Arkansas at Little Rock surveyed Arkansas historians, political scientists, journalists and others.
"He was a young, progressive governor who had cleaned up Hot Springs and done real good things for Arkansas, real tolerant in race, and tried to do a lot for education and roads," said Cal Ledbetter, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. "He was so impressive at one time that there were rumors that Truman would put him on the ticket in 1948."
In a statement released Sunday, Gov. Mike Huckabee praised McMath's ability to work across party lines and said he welcomed the advice that McMath often offered in phone calls.
"His concept and practice of public service was the gold standard of political practice as he transcended the pettiness which marks much of contemporary partisanship," Huckabee said. "He was undeniably and unapologetically a Democrat, but one who loved good government and was willing to commend and praise Republicans for ideas he felt would improve the state or nation."
In the AP interview, McMath highlighted his successes, staunchly defended his administration against corruption charges and spoke of how missed opportunities for national prominence may have been a blessing for him and his family.
"It took me a long time to overcome the allegations that I was corrupt and I had stolen money," he said. "I went out of the governor's office broke, in debt. I had to build a law practice, and that was the great experience of my life."
McMath was born June 14, 1912, on a farm in rural Columbia County. His family moved to Smackover when he was eight, then settled in Hot Springs on his 10th birthday.
As a teen-ager, he developed into an amateur boxer. But his eye was already on higher things.
"I always wanted to be governor from the time I was in high school," he said in a 1989 interview.
He began to show his interest in politics in high school, where he was president of the junior and senior classes, and then in college at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he also was head of the freshman and sophomore classes and of the student body.
After obtaining his law degree in 1936, he joined the Marines, served a year, returned home, joined again and served in World War II.
Home from the war, McMath first gained the post of prosecutor in Hot Springs as part of a GI revolt political movement that ousted a 20-year political machine led by then-Hot Springs Mayor Leo P. McLaughlin.
He also was president of the state Young Democrats, succeeded by his Hot Springs friend and colleague, Henry Woods, who later became a federal judge.
McMath, a Democrat, ran for governor in 1948, shaking thousands of voters' hands day after day in the days before television campaigning.
His handshake impressed many as a mark of sincerity -- he would hold the voter's hand in both of his own while giving the voter a penetrating gaze from his steel-blue eyes. Then he would relax the grip and move on.
"He became my idol when I was an undergrad at the University of Arkansas and he was campaigning for governor," said former U.S. Senator Dale Bumpers, who in the last 20 years became good friends with McMath. "He played a pretty strong role in my own ambition to to get into politics."
He also promised a highway program and school improvements.
His campaign manager was Woods. The result was a pair of two-year gubernatorial terms.
"I love politics," he said years later. "It was a fascinating experience. It gave me the opportunity to do some things ... to take a stand."
McMath persuaded voters to approve a $28 million highway bond program in 1948, at the time the biggest highway construction program in Arkansas history.
Funding for education also grew without a major tax increase, and after he was out of office, McMath continued to put the needs of education high on his list of priorities. He continued to support local efforts to improve education in Arkansas, including efforts to raise taxes for schools.
"I think Sid was the first truly progressive governor the state ever had," Bumpers said. "He was extremely devoted to education and highways."
McMath sought a third term in 1952, but lost the Democratic primary to Francis Cherry, who went on to be elected governor.
A commission in 1952 was investigating allegations of scandals in the state Highway Department during the McMath administration. Grand juries returned indictments against three members of McMath's administration. Juries acquitted two of them and a judge threw out the charges against the third.
Nothing ever directly linked McMath or Woods to any wrongdoing.
McMath went back to his law practice and formed a firm with Woods and LeLand Leatherman in Little Rock.
In 1954, McMath made an unsuccessful attempt to oust Sen. John L. McClellan, a Democrat. In 1962, McMath ran again for gubernatorial nomination, but lost to then-Gov. Orval E. Faubus.
Fifty years after he left the governor's office, McMath remained a crusader for better public schools.
As governor from 1949-53, he was instrumental in reducing the number of school districts across the state from 1,700 to 320. At the end, he thought 308 still were too many.
He also thought no cost should be spared to pay teachers more, reduce the number of districts, enhance school courses, improve classroom technology and strengthen the teaching of math, English, physics, chemistry and art.
"We're going to have to bite the bullet and give education a priority, even if something else has to suffer or somebody has to pay a little more in taxes," he said. "We're going to have to have a strong movement in this state to get the quality of education up so that Arkansas can live out its full potential."
McMath is survived by his wife Betty Dortch Russell McMath, sons Phillip, Sandy and Bruce, daughters Patricia and Melissa, as well as ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Phillip McMath said the family would be meeting Sunday to mourn and plan funeral arrangements.
Originally published Monday, October 6, 2003
http://www.baxterbulletin.com/news/stories/20031006/localnews/396597-144824.jpg
http://www.baxterbulletin.com/news/stories/20031006/localnews/396597.html
Sempers,
Roger
:marine:
May He Rest In Peace