Evening star., 1895-06-04
Rep. Elect Underwood's Statement of
Alabama Politics.
FREE SILVER IN THE MAJORITY
He Thinks it Would Increase Prices
and Eniiven Business.
THINKING OF ONE THING

Among the young men who will be in the
Fifty-fourth Congress is Representative
elect Underwood of the sixth district of
Alabama. Mr.. Underwood has been in this
city during the past several days making
his first visit since his election to Congress.
In his district are included Birmingham
and Bessemer, his own home being just
outside of the former city, where he prac-
tices law.
The representative of the sixth Alabama
district is thirty-three years of age, though
a clean shaven face gives him the appear
ance of being half a dozen years younger.
He was educated at the University of Vir-
ginia, and when a student there he was
quite familiar with Washington, where he
visited frequently. He is a native of Ken
lucky. Senator Joseph r. Underwood, the
colleague of Henry Clay at the time of the
latter's death, being his grandfather. When
Mr.. Underwood was graduated from the
University of Virginia, ten years ago, he
termined to carve out a career in new
field, and that being at the time Birming-
ham was beginning to boom he went there
and has since remained there practicing
law. While taking an active part in politics
fall, when he was elected by majority
of /. 1eG over his republican opponent on the
single issue of the tariff, he supporting the
policy of tariff reform.
They Want More Money.
1.-The people of Alabama so far as they
are thinking of politics." said Mr.. Under
wood to a Star reporter today, ''are think
ing of but one thing-that is money. They
want more money in circulation. In the
campaign 1 declared myself for the free and
unlimited coinage of silver at some ratio
which shall preserve the parity of the
metals. But silver was not an issue of the
campaign for the reason that my republican
opponent was also a free silver man.
II feel sure that Alabama will support
any man for the presidency who will come
out openly and positively for the free COIN
age of silver. That is all there is to Ala
bamas view of the presidency. Among the
gold democrats of the state Mr.. Carlisle
is the favorite, but the free silver people
are largely in the majority. If Cleveland
were only a free silver man and would
take the reins of our free silver coach I
would be sure of success. We regard him
as very able man in Alabama and are sor-
ry he is not on our side.
What Would De the Result.
1.-THE majority of my party in Alabama
are for free coinage at the ratio of 16 to 1,
but 1 have never gone SO far as to say
what 1 think the ratio should be. Our
idea is that there should be more money
in circulation and that that would result
in an increase of prices and a consequent
enlivening of business. 1 believe 1t to be a
% fact that an increase of the money in Cir
culation has always improved the times,
even If this increase was in the nature of
an imitation, to be ultimately followed by a
reaction. We want no spurious money in
Alabama, but only metal money that may
have a sound value. We look upon an in
crease of the circulating medium as in
evitable, and it seems to us to be choice
between more metal money more ma
tional bank notes, and the former is re-
garded as vastly superior to the bank notes.
Would Invite the Investment of
Capital.
'In Alabama the people generally have
no idea that the present silver agitation Is
causing investors to hold back their money.
We consider 1t to be fact that an increase
in the circulating medium would increase
prices, and 1t seems to that the prospect
of such increase would invite the invest
ment of capital If capital is being held
back there is but one conclusion and that
Is that capitalists think the gold standard
will be maintained and that prices will con-
tract''