The long road : the journey to municipal reform in San Antonio, Texas, 1939-1954 /
This dissertation examines the route municipal reform took in San Antonio, Texas, in the mid-twentieth century. Reformers had tried to dislodge the reigning political machine in the city several times but proved unsuccessful. They came to pin their hopes of success on the structural reform that wou...
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| Format: | Thesis Book |
| Language: | English |
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[Place of publication not identified] :
[publisher not identified] ;
2004.
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| Online Access: | http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=790243491&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD |
| Summary: | This dissertation examines the route municipal reform took in San Antonio, Texas, in the mid-twentieth century. Reformers had tried to dislodge the reigning political machine in the city several times but proved unsuccessful. They came to pin their hopes of success on the structural reform that would accompany a new city charter. Despite their attempts over the course of a decade, voters failed to accept a new charter. The reformers finally attained their goal with the adoption of a new charter in 1951 but their own coalition of reform-minded individuals and small-businessmen broke down under the new municipal government power structure. The in-fighting that followed made progressive government nearly impossible. Instead, a new group, the Good Government League, arose to seize power in the city and would not relinquish it for twenty years. This dissertation explores why reformers pushed for the new charter, how their tactics changed over the years, and how the reformers themselves changed once they found success. The charter effort had a lasting impact on the metropolis and shaped how San Antonio developed to become one of the largest cities in the nation. |
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| Item Description: | Vita. "Major Subject: History". |
| Physical Description: | x, 243 leaves ; 28 cm. Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilm Inc. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238-242). |