The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-04-16
UNDERWOOD GROWS STRONG IN NEW YORK
Contrast in Two Conven-
 tiOns Last Week
SUNS VIEW
New York Underwood Headquarters Expect To Start Something Soon That Will Make Alabamian's
 Name Household Word
By JEFF c. BELL

|
 New York democratic supporters of Os-
 car W. Underwood for the presidency of
 the United States, attach great sgnii-
 canoe to the enthusiasm with which his
 name was greeted, along with that of
 Champ Clark at the Democratic state convention held here last Thursday, when
 Representative John J. Fitzgerald of 1 Kings county, chairman of the conven-
 tion, in opening his address. spoke of the
 achievements of the democratic party.
 The achievements of the democratic party during the last two years in reality
 are accredited to Underwood as chairman of the ways and means committe. hence
 his friends claim that while the name
 Of Champ Clark was put forward with his, Underwoods leadership is q fact
 quite well understood, and that the ap- plause which the mention of his name
 with Champ Clarks excited was in reali- l ty a display of deep seated affection on
 the part of the New York convention. 1 The words of Representative Fitzgerald Ewere:
 Tn the coming campaign the party
 will appeal to the people upon a record
 of achievement unrivaled in political his
 tory. For 16 years the democracy had l been excluded from the management of practically every department of the gov l ernment.
 l Under the wise leadership of Speaker | Clark and Representative Underwood, the | chairman of the committee on ways and means, the democratic House during the I hIst session of this Congress made an
 unrivaled record for conservative states manship which awakened anew demo- cratic hopes and merited universal re- spect and admiration"
 The effect produced upon the convention | by Congressman Fitzgerald's words has
 been largely reflected by the public at 1 large, as is shown by the following edi-
 torial from the New York Evening sun: l THE DEMOCRATIC ISSUE "The contrast between the speeches of the two chairmen of yesterdays demo-
 cratic convention was marked. Mr. Van Santvoord talked grandiloquently of fail ure, stupidity and broken promises-the I record of Governor Dix and the demo- cratic legislature in this state, In short. l Representative Fitzgerald of Brooklyn, the chairman of the House committee on | appropriations, devoted his plainspolien | address to the real and excellent achieve ments of the democratic House. As might be expected, MT. Fitzgerald stuck to the tarlff issue closer than a brother. Starting with the conceded inl- quities of the Payne Aldrich schedules,
 he rehearsed the endeavors of the demo-
 crats of the House to reduce the rates of important schedules. His unfairness 1 to the President in discussing the tariff 1 board may be passed over as a campaign | incident. The fact remains that in tariff l reform as affecting the cost of living.i l the democrats have sound issue upon which they can well afford to go before 1 the voters. The widespread feeling that l f bp inc bae foi A lower l ing of duties may not have a complete | and scientific basis of fact; and the re- | suits would certainly fall far short of the happy slicing of the family expense account which the democrats predict But the popular demand is unmstaAable
 and sufficiently well founded, and no poi itician can shut his eyes to the impor- tance of this prize item on the list of democratic assets.
 oMr Fitzgerald showed his political sense in bringing this issue to the front and holding it there. It may be worth adding that the prime possession of the democrats being the record of their House upon the tariff issue, their logical ! candidate for the presidency is patenty the Hon. oscar W. Underwood of Ala 1 bama. Without the leadership of that able legislator the record of the House would have been everything that 1t was not. But we suppose it is asking too much | to suggest that a democratic national convention should do anything as sound and logical as to put forward the gentle man from Alabama.
 1 Meanwhile the Underwood headquar- ters, recently established in three large, bright sunny rooms in the Bryant Arcade building, 47 West Forty-second street, with John A. Hennneberry in charge, is
 working vigorously. At present the work
 of the headquarters is being conducted
 quietly, but it is understood that prepara- l tions are being made for a whirlwnl
 campaign in the near future which will
 make the name of Underwood house. hold word. The Underwood workers seem
 to be animated with satisfaction If not | even with confidence over the outlook, and they expect to achieve astonshiig
 results when they finally make their great coup.