The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-03-04
ds district in Congress He closed at 1:15 amid great cheering
 Bankhead Kissed.

r
 Bankhead Kissed. When Congressrnan Bankhead arose to l begin his remarks. an astonishing scene 1 was enacted. There were audible hisses | from every section of the rear end of the hall Captain Hohson held up his hand | and silence fell over the audience. Colonel Bankhead opened, speaking l deliberately. He referred to his invita- uon from Captain Hobson q month ago. and his reply. pointing out his pressing l Congressional duties. He had said that later he hoped to be in the district. "And am here," the Congressman went on. T do not ask for any quarter. Lay on MacDuff and damned be he who | first cries hold enough."
 Cries of ''hurrah for Hobson." (renewed hissing)
 Captain Hobson arose. and speaking earnestly, said My friends if I have any true friends here, beg that they refrain from unpleasant interruptions." CEnthu- siastic cheering.)
 T thank my young friend," said Colo nel Bankhead. smiling, but am sure all of us know from what source those misses came. No Democrat here would engage in such a pastime." This pleasantly was received without a handclap or a murmur. Colonel Bankhead proceeded. speaking of misrepresentations of his political record. He said that soil survey was now underway in one county of the dis- l trict He ridiculed the suggestion that 1t was the duty of a Congressman to go over rural mail routes or ''roots' Qmitat- ing Hobson.) Applications had been sent in for Walker County and rejected be- cause of the poor reads.
 Matter of Cadetships. He admitted that he had never had | competitive examinations for West Point 1 and Annapolis cadet scholarships. He was not quite sure, he said, that he would ever have any. He had tried to i, appoint young men who were the archi- tects of their own fortunes, poor boys. | This is Democratic District" sad Colonel Bankhead. land so long as ain in Congress, only Democratic boys will be appointed" (Applause.) He declared that Captain Hobson had said at Hamilton that if he was elected he would permit negro or a Republican boy to be chosen. Colonel sBankhedd ! took up river improvements which he 1 said had been assaiied by Coionei Hob | son. He showed the advantage of river l navigation to this section. Seven locks had been built on tlie WarFaor. Three l millions of dollars had been gpsnt oa | this work, he said, and yeS Captain Hob son had declared that If he was sent to Congress he would put dynamite under the locks and blow them up, building new ones himself and experimenting the work. He declared that the Warrior locks are larger than those on the Mo- nongaheia. Tennessee and Kentucky Fiv- CTS. The speaker was finely sarcastic. He read reports os Government engI- neees, and said that judging from Cap tain Hobson's remarks he had never sean coal barges ip tow. s
 He awakened his audience to applause by saying that Captain Hobson wanted to build new locks so he could bring a battleship designed by MnIself up the Warrior River and load with Walker County coal. During his service in Con gress. he said $.0O0,0O0 had been appfo- priated for the Warrior, much more than had been given to any other d's- trict of the State.
 Duty of the Sixth.
 He had incurred the cnmity of his oih- CT Alabama friends because he would not divide ths appropriation with the Coosa River. He owed his first duty to the Sixth District, he said.
 Captain Hooson. he said. had shown he knew little about locks. 'And yet,' with scorn. ''he is an engineer and na- tional figure"
 He criticised Captain Hohson for nos registering. Captain Hohson had said he was away from Alabama on Government duty. Do the records show that Is a true statement?' asked Colonel Bank head. No. trey show that during that whole period he was on leave of ab- sence."
 He said he went from Washington to Fayette to register, and returned on the next train. Captain Hobson, he said, was probably at Atlantic City, or some other place up in New England. we people down hcre,' said Colonel Bank head, "go in washing in tho creek. But not so with Captain Hobscn."
 Then strollng up and down the hall. grimaces on his zee, Colonel BanlShead drew a picture of Hobson on the beach in a silk bathing suit with a girl in the same attire. And the audience shriexsd with laughter.
 'I hope his name win go on the ticket said Colonel Rankhead. T want the Committee also to provide that every poor white man who failed to register or pay his poll taxes will be relieved of disabilities and be allowed to vote.'
 He asked if the Constitution was to be lchanGed to suit one man.
 The Retirement Bill.
 T haven't got anything to say about the Captains eyes," said Colonel Bank head. except didn't have anything to do with his retirement bill. l told him wouldn't vote for his bill. I thought it would establish a bad precedent. His bill was defeated, and still he says fl you send him to Congress he will exert more influence than l have had in eigh' teen years"
 In this connection he spoke of Captain Hobson as 'Roosevelt's chum."
 He said Captain Hobson did not look like he needed a pension. He was able to travel all over the country delivering lectures at $20O night. He was able to travel fifty miles day over the hills and to speak six hours.
 He ridiculed Hobson's greater navy scheme and Captain Hobson's ideas oi tinanciering it.
 That little war with Spain." said Col onel Bankhead. "that made so many he roes. cost us lots of money. You all know how many stamps you licked, and h Hobson has his way you'll tick more than that and bigger ones, too."
 He spoke of Dewey appearing before 6le Naval Committee of the House and saying that present plans for the navy should be sufficient Probably I ought not to speak of Dewey in the presence of the gentleman from Chlna," he said and the crowd laughed.
 Ridicules Navy Scheme. Hobson's navy scheme, he declared, Il accepted by the Government, would bS taken by the powers as a declaration oi war, and they would begin tosprepare fol 7, | 1t. They would marshal their forces ant
 lombard our cities and destroy our coun try.
 He spoke of Hobson's political record | aaalartn0 he uotlId as,iara nfaa thai HOh