Revolt of the Mexicans

In the central square of Crystal City stands a statue of Popeye, a symbol of the town's claim that it is "the spinach capital of the world." Otherwise, Crystal City (pop. 10,000) is like a lot of other farm towns in South Texas. Mexican-Americans outnumber Anglo-Americans four to one, but the Anglos run the place.

Last week, with Texas Rangers standing by to keep order, hundreds of Crystal City Mexicans gathered round the statue of Popeye. It was election day in Crystal City, and a revolt was under way. One by one, Mexicans crossed the square and lined up at city hall to vote, many for the first time in their lives. When the votes were counted, Mexican candidates had captured all five seats on the city council. And control of the council gave the Mexicans control of the town government, with authority to appoint the mayor, the marshal, and other officers.

The revolt in Crystal City was managed by a three-year-old Texas organization called Viva Kennedy during the presidential campaign, now named PASO (short for Political Association of Spanish-Speaking Organizations). Dedicated to the advancement of Mexican-Americans. PASO chose Crystal City as a test site for a get-out-the-Mexican-vote drive. At first the Anglos paid little attention to the PASO rallies, but as election day neared, they discovered that more than twice as many Mexicans as Anglos (1,139 to 532) had paid poll taxes to vote. In a flurry of appeasement, the city council voted $500,000 for paving streets in the Mexican section. Prominent Anglo citizens took every Mexican council candidate aside and tried to talk him out of running. "We've always got along," said one Anglo. "Why do you want to stir up this sort of trouble?"

In a way, the Crystal City Mexicans did stir up trouble for themselves. They control the town's government, but the Anglos control its economy. One council-seat winner got fired from his job in a hardware store. Another found his wages cut in half by his Anglo employer. But, mindful that Mexicans outnumber Anglos in South Texas, PASO looks upon the Crystal City election as a momentous triumph. Says Albert Fuentes, the PASO official who led the campaign: "We have done the impossible. If we can do it in Crystal City, we can do it all over Texas. We can awake the sleeping giant." On election day, the Mexicans have learned, all South Texans are equal.

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