The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-26
Underwood Meets Requirements

the first southern man since the wal to be regarded as a logical, or ever probable, candidate for the presi- dency, but he is the first man born and reared south of the Mason and Dixon line who has measured up full ly to modern democratic require >ments from a national point of view.
 AS far back as the early 90s cer- tain distinguished ex-Confederates were mentioned as vice presidential timber but any suggestion along that line was promptly met and put aside with the remark that the time had not arrived when it would be ad- visable to put southern man on the ticket. Sectional bitterness had al- most died out when William Me Kinley was elected resident; but 1t was not until the Spanish-American war that the country was solidly re- united.
 Within the past 10 years it had been quite thinkable that southern man might have got on the demo- cratic ticket as the nominee for Vice President, but those who were men tioned for this party honor were known, either because of their illus trious services in the Confectionery, or their representative character in southern civic life. None of them had made any impression on the north, east or west as great na- tional leader.
 Every presidential campaign must have a slogan, and that slogan must embody concrete idea and be eX- pressed in a few simple, catchy words. Now, the democrats will find good slogan in Honest Revision and Lower Cost of Living" No man in the democratic party stands out in such bold relief as the exponent of sound democratic tariff-for-rev- enue-only" policy as Oscar Under wood and besides being an authori- ty on economic questions he is today conceded to be the best harmonizer known since Mir. Tilden's day. These two facts - authoritative tariff statesmanship and practical party leadership-make him the most fitting man in the United States for the presidency. He is to the democratic party what President Mckinley was to the republican party, and the re- publicans never had for leader such a popular man as McKinley-a Thigh tariff" expert and a sweet-tempered gentleman. When Mckinley was nominated he proved to be invincible as against Bryan, with his silver hobby. He had just the personality that appealed to men of all classes and conditions. If Underwood is the democratic standard bearer he will be almost sure to win victory some thing like that which the party scored in 1892.
 The south has had dozens of strong men known to the country for their honesty of purpose and their cour- age. But it remains for Underwood to come forward as the first southern man since sectionalism was buried with a compelling national record.
 Those who thought that when Ala bamians began to talk about Oscar Underwood as a presidential possi- bility it would only amount to a com plimentary "favorite son vote" in the national convention. But it never occurred to them that Underwood would be taken seriously as presi- dential candidate by the country at large.
 It has been seen, however, that within the past three or four weeks the Alabama statesman is considered
 seriously. The movement in his favor is as insistent as it is spon. taneous. The three most prominent
 men discussed as presidential ma
 terial-Judson Harmon, Woodrow
 Wilson and Oscar Underwood-are
 all good men. But when it comes tc poise and general equipment, Under. wood stands far above the other two In 1912 the democrats in nationa
 convention assembled will have {
 splendid opportunity of reckoning
 the party in the matter of its pas , mistakes by nominating the foremos of tariff reformers. And it is be 7 lieved they will rise to the occasion -