The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-12-08
HOBSON DISCUSSES
A RECENT INCIDENT
Speech on President Which
School Teacher Criticised
GIVES OUT A STATEMENT
President Roosevelt Sent Photograph
and Autograph Letter to the
Lady Teacher Alleged to
Have Rebuked Hobson.

Captain Richmond Pearson Hobson
passed through Birmingham yesterday
morning en- route to South Georgia,
where he is to deliver a series Of lectures.
He stated that President Roosevelt had
just sent an autograph letter and picture
of himself to school teacher in Ohio
who is supposed to have rebuked him
about a lecture he delivered in her town
recently.
Referring to the school teacher Incl
dent Captain Hobson gave the following
statement, which consists Of the closing
remarks of a lecture he delivered in
Ashtubula, Ohio. on last Friday:
II beg your indulgence for a moment to
say necessary word of personal refer
ence.
about two weeks ago complaint was
made to your committee that caused
them to consider the question of having
my engagement cancelled on account Of
reports that during the political cam
paign, especially at Columbia City, Indi-
ana, 1 had uttered incendiary words
against the President
'grhe reports were based upon my
words in portraying the invariable end
ing of a vaulting ambition which tram
pies upon others, as 1t appears to the
best people of the south. President Roose-
welt has trampled upon their happiness,
portraying how this invariably ends by
downfall.
'"The same reports alleged that a lady
school teacher. coming up to me after
the lecture, said she despised me for such
words.
A Matter of Fact.
"As matter of fact the school teacher
did not use such words and did not re-
fer to this part of my speech, as Know,
but to the part where I criticized the
Presidents lawlessness, citing the making
of executive appointments against the adj
vice and consent of the senate, as re-
'quired by the constitution; the infringe
ment of the domain of the other co-ordi-
nate branches of the government and the
writings, which justify lyching horse
thieves and advancing the theory that
in crises the constitution should be over
turned and the statutes disregarded.
''The teacher asked If did not think
/
an incendiary effect, and J pointed out
that the effect was just the contrary;
that my strongest appeal was for the
sacred observance of law and order;
that my very structures of the President
were for the lawlessness he was causing.
particularly in the south.
Concerning Lynchings.
ings have occurred recently, have
| thrown myself into the breach and. at
a great political risk, publicly demanded
the retirement of a democratic candidate
for congress because he had uttered in
cendlary words, and called upon ali the
honest citizens to stem the rising tide
Of lawlessness.
THE whole mis-statement was the re-
suit of an adroit political move to try
to break the effect of my stand for the
constitution, and the most Incredible part
is that the President should act upon a
sensational incident incorrectly reported
in the heat of the campaign and by
sending his photograph and acknowledge
ment to the school teacher. give his
stamp and seal, credence and dignity tc
reports that are ~Gsolutely the opposite
of the truth.
Wrote to the President.
TN a letter to the President, on No
vember o. L made known the fact of ms
steadfast stand for law and order anc
my invariable appeal to the people Of
my state not to tolerate lawless acts oil
incendiary words. Yet, before your com
mittee and before other committees, anC
before the people of your city, and be
fore the people at large. L am still lief
in this false position, where 1 was places
largely by the action of the President
MY father was a judge, my grand
father was judge, and 1 have beei
brought up to look upon the law a
sacred, and the first oath l ever took wa
to protect the constitution of the Unite
States The inviolable observance Of lax
is a part of my religion and 1t was 4
devotion to law and order that l too
my stand against the President, himseli
as against the Alabama candidate"