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Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: Southern Faces

Media Credit: Colby Williams Warren Hearnes autographs a copy of his biography for Dr. Julio León as his wife, Betty, looks on

Forty years ago, as America waded through an ocean of evils - Vietnam, the Cuban Crisis, Watergate, the beginnings of the Cold War, its citizens struggled to forget the country's mistakes and to find new identities.

Warren Hearnes, a young Representative from Southeast Missouri, joined the gubernatorial race as a democratic candidate.

During his campaign, Hearnes came to Joplin and met with William L. Webster, George A. Spiva and Fred G. Hughes who told him Southwest Missouri needed a four-year college and they were ready to work to get one. Hearnes promised them a four-year state college if they helped him become Governor.

"Everybody fights you," Hearnes said, reminiscing about his push for Joplin. "But I made the pledge and never backed away from it."

Since Southwest Missouri was a predominantly Republican area, Hearnes faces some political hurdles. Webster gave a speech in Joplin on Hearnes behalf and received tremendous applause. Hearnes was surprised that the people of Joplin were so quick to forget their party ties until Webster told him, "I didn't tell them you were a Democrat."

Hearnes won and in 1967 Governor Hearnes signed the legislation that made Missouri Southern State College a four-year institution, making good on his promise to the people of Joplin.

His Southern honesty was a staple characteristic throughout Hearnes' political career.

"I don't know of one promise that he didn't follow through on," said Betty, Warren's wife of 59 years and a ten-year Representative in the Missouri Legislature.
Betty, keen with memories of seemingly every detail of Warren's time in the Governor's office, tells of Warren, comfortable in his office chair, cigar in hand, listening to constituents' needs and giving his answers.

"They knew when they came out of his office, if he said no, drop it," Betty said. "If he said yes, he was gonna do it."
Even when campaigning, Warren and Betty Hearnes bypassed traditional strategies and, instead, drove themselves to all 114 counties in the state, meeting the people and giving speeches to groups of any size available. Often, Warren gave a speech every night of the week.

Continued...

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