in 1921, the west texas chamber of commerce supported legislation passed by both houses of the texas legislature to establish a west texas a&m college. the bill was vetoed by governor neff, who said that the state could not afford another state college designed for thinly populated west texas. he defended his veto, saying that the proposed college had not been included in the 1920 democratic state platform. neff's veto stirred up a political firestorm. two years later he was prepared to sign similar legislation for a college in west texas; it was co-authored by state senator william h. bledsoe of lubbock. the legislature appropriated $1 million to establish what is now known as texas tech university.