The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-02-04
R. p. HoBsoN.
Colonel Bankhead's Reply.
House Of Representatives,

House of Representatives
Washington D. c., January 80, 1904.
Capt. r. P. Hobson. Tuscaloosa Ala:
Dear Sir-I have the honor to acknowl-
edge he receipt of your favor of the 25th
inst, in which you refer to your candida
cy for nomination for congress from the
Sixth congressional district subject to
the action of the democratic primary on
the 18th of April next and in which you
challenge me to a joint debate on "aues-
tons pertinent to this nomination." as
you express 1t.
| confess that I can not quite under
stand what questions are open for dis
cussion between two gentlemen both pro-
Tossing to believe in the principles and
policies OF the democratic party that are
pertinent to this nomination." | have
had the honor to serve the people of the
Sixth district in congress for nearly
eighteen years. My record is an open
book subject to fair and Just criticism.
Work m Congress.
We are now in the midst of an innort-
ant session of congress Just preceding
presidential election in which the dem
ocratic party has great promise of sue
cess. There are important questions
coming up every day which more or less
affect democratic success. 1 am the rep.
resentative of Alabama on the rivers and
harbors committee. No state i'm thf
union is more interested in the work OF
this great committee than Alabama. A
thirty foot channel to Mobile bay and the
completion of the Tennessee river i'm.
provements will make Alabama the
greatest of all the states from an agricul-
tural, mining and manufacturing stand
point. The Sixth district is Immediately
interested in the speedy completion OF
the Warrior and Tombigbee river inn
provements With all this work well
under way when the construction of the
Panama canal begins. which now seems
will be in the near future, no one can
tell what 1t will mean for Alabama com
mercially and industrially.
Rivers and Harbors Committee.
The rivers and harbors committee is
now holding daily sessions collating ma
terial and information with which to
frame rivers and harbors bill to be in
troduced during the present session of
congress so as to have 1t acted upon ear
~ in December. A bill extending gov
eminent aid for improvement of the
public roads in the agricultural districts
will be considered and acted upon during
this session of congress. In this great
measure the people of the Sixth district
are greatly Interested. The public build
ings committee, of which I am also a
member, is preparing a bill in which Ala
bama is interested to the extent of three
public uildinss-Tuscaloosa. Florence
and Bessemer, where sites have already
been purchased. Also a bill donating
the public lands of Alabama to the COM
mon schools and protecting the rights
of certain occupants thereon is up for
consideration. Many other questions of
great Importance to the people of the
Sixth district are pending before con-
gress.
l do not think I would be faithful to
the trust imposed by the people of the
Sixth district If | should leave these inn
portant matters to take care of them
selves while / go to Alabama to discuss
with you for month questions which you
may think are pertinent to this nomi-
nation" | cannot therefore at this time
see my way clear to abandon these inn
portant duties devolving upon me here
as the representative of the Sixth dis
triet however much | should like to.
In conclusion desire to say that If the
public interests here will permit of my
absence for any length of time between
now and the primary election / shall be
glad to meet you before the people of the
district Yours truly.
j. H. BANKHEAD.