Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-03
DEFEAT OF COL. BANKHEAD
Review of the Campaign Two Years
Ago.
THIS YEARS WHIRLWIND WORK
Hobson's Success Largely Due to Re-
sentiment by Voters Of His Treat
ment by District Committee.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
BIRMINGHAM. Ala. May a.-The big
gest surprise In Alabama politics for
many years was tine nomination at the
democratic primary last week of Capt Rich
mond p. Hobson. the hero of the Merrimac
as congressional candidate in the sixth dis
trtct to succeed Col. John H. Bankhead the
oldest democratic member of the House in
point of continuous service Col. Bankhead
is now serving his tenth term, and has been
In public life in this state for forty years,
his first public office being that of member
of the legislature in 1868.
Hobson has had an old score to settle with
Bankhead ever since the Alabama congress-
man refused some years ago during the
Mckinley administration, to either intro
duce or push a bill in Congress looking to
the retirement of the Merrimac hero from
the navy on account of defective eyes. 1t
was said at the time that Bankhead feared
that If Hobson was let out of the navy he
might return to this state and run against
him for Congress. Hobson having evidenced
a thirst for political honors. Hobson chased
Bankhead around Washington. seeking to
enlist his aid in the retirement bill, but 1t
Is said that the veteran congressman hardly
gave him hearing at all. Then Hobson
enlisted the aid of republicans. and the re-
tirement bill was introduced both in the
House and Senate by republicans. Presi-
dent Mckinley recommended Hobson's re-
tirement, but it is said that Bankhead de-
feated the bill. AT least Hobsons friends
charged him with it's defeat. In any event
Hobson was not retired, and finally resigned
from the navy and took the lecture plat
form as means of earning living.
Campaign Two Years Ago.
He had engaged in newspaper wrangle
with Bankhead over the retirement bill.
and much bad feeling had been engendered
between the two. Two years ago Hobson
showed up in the sixth district as a can
didate for Congress. Bankhead's friends
laughed al the nerve of this young fell
low" trying to defeat veteran states
man and politician like Bankhead. Bank
head remained In Washington for awhile,
and in reply to a challenge from Hobson
for joint debate. declared, with much
impressiveness, that his duty was in Wash
ington attending to the business of his con-
ttuents as their representative in Con-
gress. Hobson went forward with his cam
palgn He began canvaSsing the dis
trict, and large crowds turned out to hear
him. He related his grievances against
Bankhead In one breath and advocated a
billion-dollar naval appropriation to enable
the United States to whip the world If We
so desired In the other He began to i'm
press the people, especially the young men.
The women, although not allowed to vote,
were for him almost as unit, and this
influenced many men. Bankheads friends
tipped MIN off. and the representative
changed his mind about remaining in
Washington. and hurried home to accept
Hobsons challenge to joint debate. Sew
eral meetings occurred, and they drew
large crowds. Hobson would lose his tenn
per and storm at those who interrupted
him. He would shake his finger at Bank
head. At Tuscaloosa. where the state uni
versity Is, students divided in the gallery.
and half of them "guyed' Bankhead he
spoke. while the other faction rubbed 1t
into" Hobson when his time came. The
representative paid heed to them, but
Hobson would halt in his speech to talk
back to the boys and answer their de-
risive remarks. This made the meeting
thoroughly entertaining. IL not dignified
In this campaign Bankhead had every
important influence behind him, including
the leading daily papers of the state, the
corporations, the democratic party machin-
cry and the prestige of long public service.
Even then he pulled through by only 500
majority.
A little a month after the primary,
when the state democratic convention was
held at Montgomery, the Bankhead follow
did all they could to try to prevent the
selection of Hobson one of the presi-
Dental electors from the state at large, for
which they Were roundly Kissed in the
convention. Hobson was nominated, this
being his first political honor. He failed to
register, and, not being qualified voter. II
rs said, he was incompetent to serve as a
idential election hinged upon one electoral
vote, Hobson's case might have become
national issue. But Roosevelt showed
Parker and Hobson and the rest of the
democrats so deeply that ever cared
to know whether Hobson qualified as
an elector or not. Hobson proceeded on his
way. taking the stump for the democratic
national ticket in 1904 in numerous close
northern states. He said 1t this very
thing which caused him to be absent from
home during the period of registration and
on election day,
This Years Campaign.
This years campaign between Hobson
and Bankhead was different in some ma
terial points from that of two years ago.
In the last campaign Bankhead still had
the corporation support. and he and his
friends were still in control of the district
democratic committee and the party ma
chinery generally, but not a single daily
paper In the state spoke out for him This
time the big datlieS kept hands off. And
the explanation given by one of them the
day after Bankhead's defeat shows why A
leading daily paper here said that Bank
heads committee-the democratic district
committee-brought about his own defeat
more than any other force by its unfair
practices The general state primary was
called at meeting OF the state democratic
committee last January to be held August
~ On February 10 the sixth district DEM
ocratic committee met and ordered the
Hobson- Bankhead primary for April %.
Hobson at that time was lecturing In the
west. and, thinking the primary would not
occur until August II. he had made lee
ture dates until May 10.
He sent protest to the committee from
Waterloo. Iowa, and his friends appeared in
person before the committee and urged that
the primary be held on the same date as. the
state primary, not only to give Hobs0n
time to make his canvass. but also to afford
opportunity for the young men who had
just become of age to register when the
books were opened In July. Col. Bankhead's
friends controlled the committee and turned
a deaf ear to the appeals of the Hobson
men. The primary was ordered and whiri-
wind campaign began Hobson Cancelled
his lecture dates and hurried home Bank
head also left his seat In Congress and
FASTENED to the district. More joint de-