The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-07

of this republic are not raised up in a day.
 Yet there are thousands of people hish m the party councils who are ready and anxious to raise Mr. Underwood at once to the position of honor
 Mr. Underwoods wonderful! power of selt control is one of the strongest fea- lures of his character He is never sur- prised into personal controversy. When il becomes necessary for him to make reply to some criticism of his acts or plans he does it with manly directness and at q tune and occasion that is psychological. Ihen he is done, He says all there is to say at once and the matter is closed. There have been many efforts recently to drag him into public controversy over democratic policies. One of these instances was the letter from Secretary of State Knox in which it was sought to suggest of dictate to the democratic leader plans for tariff revision MT. Underwood replied not one word. He will reply in action at the proper time.
 The most recent effort to engage Mir. Underwood in an embarrassing contro- versy came from George c. Hetzel, prominent woolen manufacturer of Ches- ter, Pa. Mir. Hetzel, in an open letter. asks MT Underwood a number of ques- tons about profits of manufacturers that lave no relation whatever to the duties of the chairman of the ways and means com mittee.
 Most men with the assurance of Mir. Un- derwoods position and the backing of the people would have been tempted to rusn into print with some sort of reply to the letter. Mr. Underwood said not one word,
 When asked about the letter privately MT. Underwood smiled, but declined 10 discuss the letter in any way. He has no time to engage in controversies with any and all persons who might rise to ask impertinent questions. He knows how to hold his tongue. He knows how to keep his peace. He knows how to pre- serve his personal dignity and the dignity of his office.
 The man who wins in any honorable contest is a man of few words.
 When MT Underwood speaks his words mean something. They are always said at the proper time. They carry force. They are always logical. He knows what to say and how to say it.
 If MT Underwood is the choice of the people for President he will grace the position. Dignity will follow him into the White House. He will be q true servant of all the people,. He will move slowly but with decision. He will weigh the scales of Justice fairly. He will turn from the doors of the eXecu- tive office all impetuosity. There will be no indecision of action. His policy will be broad but firm
 No man can sit in the presence of MT. Underwood for 10 minutes without being impressed with these qualities That he is of full presidential size has never been questioned by any man who knows his qualities
 With the man and its supreme op- portunity, the State of Alabama would be. untrue to itself and the people of the entire country if it should fail to demand the nomination of Mir. Under wood for President without the consid- eration of any other man.
 Wlth such man and his inerea sing popularity in all the other states of the union, there can possibly be no sane sec- ond choice for the people of Alabama.
 That Alabama should for d moment con- sider the instruction for a second choice is looked upon in Washington and many other political centers with surprise. II. is hard to understand why any citizen of the state should entertain any doubt as to thAi wisdom of making the demand for Underwood unanimous.