Política com café no oeste do Estado de São Paulo: Bento de Abreu Sampaio Vidal (1872-1948)

Abstract

Constitui-se o presente trabalho em uma biografia política de Bento de Abreu Sampaio Vidal (1872-1948), integrante da oligarquia cafeeira paulista durante a Primeira República. Bento de Abreu participou da vida política de Araraquara tendo presidido a Câmara local de 1911 a 1916 e de 1923 a 1930. Grande cafeicultor, ajudou fundar a Sociedade Rural Brasileira em 1919, presidindo-a em várias ocasiões. Nos anos 1920, elegeu-se deputado estadual, ao mesmo tempo em que participava da expansão da fronteira agrícola rumo ao oeste do Estado, incentivando a criação de vários distritos, o mais importante dos quais deu origem à cidade de Marília, em 1929. A Revolução de 1930 não interrompeu sua carreira política e filiado ao Partido Constitucionalista elegeu deputado à Constituinte estadual de 1935. Durante o Estado Novo, ocupou o cargo de Secretário de Agricultura do Estado de São Paulo e após 1945, elegeu-se novamente deputado estadual, pelo Partido Social Democrático, participando da Constituinte Estadual de 1947.

The present work constitutes a political biography of Bento de Abreu Sampaio Vidal (1872-1948), a man who integrated the coffee planters' oligarchy of the State of São Paulo (Brazil) during the political period called First Republic (1889-1930). Bento de Abreu took part in the political life of Araraquara (SP), where he was the president of the local town council from 1911 to 1916 and from 1923 to 1930. He was a big coffee planter and helped to establish the Brazilian Rural Society in 1919 and became its president of severeal times. In the 1920s he was elected one of the stately deputies; meanwhile he took part in the extension of the agricultur forntiers leaing west of State and promoting the criation of several villages. The most important of them gave origin to what later would become the city of Marília (SP), in 1929. The Revolution of 1930 did not interrupt his political career and joining the called Partido Constitucionalista he was elected deputy to the Stately Constitution of 1935. During the political period called New State (1937-1945) he was the Agricultur Secretary of the State of São Paulo and after 1945 he was again elected stately deputy, this time joining the called Partido Social Democrático and so he took part of the Stately Constitution of 1947.