The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-03-20
Letters to The Editor.
Captian Hobson's Letter.

Editor The Advertiser
 As an humble representative or thou sands of your readers. please allow me to thank him for writing, and you for publishing, the letter of Capt. Richmond Pearson Hobson in your issue of today.
 Captain Hobson is man who deserves the greatest thanks of every man Tn Ala bama. and also in the South, because or the splendid record he has made. He has reflected great honor both upon his native State and upon the section of the Union from which he came. and It IS sad that such men have to suffer the penalty of their greatness from the malicious, the sensation-loving and the envious, as he has been compelled to do.
 It was not at Santiago that Captain Hobson first reflected great credit upon his State. It was at Annapolis. where he dared to do his full duty. regardless Of consequences. that he first showed his he- there at the Naval Academy. at the head of his class, it was an honor to Alabama. and his record there was an honor to the
 South from the Potomac to the Rio Grande.
 In his careful work for years for the government as well as at Santiago, he showed his devotion to duty. Later ne
 rendered most excellent service Tn Cupa and in the Philippines, incapacitating himself for further service as the medl- cal examiners declare.
 After the sinking of the MerrimaC, talk ing there his life In his hands, with
  and winning the admiration of the Span ish Admiral himself. the opportunity for the detractors was too great for them to pass it by. They went to work. Hobson s iaurels were too great. They must be di- unfinished. HohsOn was a Southern man. That was sufficient in the eyes of some to try to break the force of his achieve | ments Jealousy raised its head and | sought to strike. Barefaced lies were told. sensation-loving newspapers printed col
 umns of stuff containing accounts of things which never happened except in i the minds of interruptions or designing | penny liner" correspondents who were veritahle descendants of Ananias. Captain Hobson's life was not lost at Santiago. but there may have been some | individuals who wished that he were out | of the way. Iie lived to serve his country l further. and fin that service he was dis | abled. as a result of his work in the fierce | tropic sunlight, and an examination board | declared him incapable of such service. l Yet the people of Alabama and the South 1 behold him denied the relief to which he
 was entitled and finally he must resign from his country'S service in order to pre-
 he has been misrepresented. Envy must
 still do its work and jealousy must still
 play it's part. He is not to be allowed the | retirement to which he is entitled. he
 must not even be allowed to resign in peace He must be misrepresented. his
 motives impugned. All possible mud must | be hurled upon the escutcheon of the hero | of Santiago. The modest, ChrlStlan gen | tleman, who had served so faithfully his | country must have his laurels tarnished | if it be possible to accomplish that end. Truly 1t Is a sad spectacle, but the peo- | pie of Alabama will continue to hold in grateful remembrance Captain Hohson S splendid services for his native South his
 native State.
 I.oachapoka Ala