The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-06
VOTERS FIGURING ON
 PROBABLE OUTCOME
If Moody Can Carry Tuscaloosa by One Thousand His Friends Thinks He Will Be
 Sure Winner
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

of the Ill lated Meifltiidc eNpidiheu anu defended his own congressional record, he was not as fiery. nor as brilliant, nor as magnetic as when few, short years ago. he flew on swift and sweeping wings to assail the official actions Of John Hollis Rankhead.
 The audience which greeted Congress- man Hobson comfortably filled the audi torium of the courthouse Many of those who heard the address, by cheers and other modes of demonstration, gave in- dication that they were in sympathy with their representative. He spoke for two hours, in which time he referred to his opponent, Frank $. Moody, as the grand father of standpatters, and charged that he, despite his native conservatism, had agreed to an unpremediated and precipi- tate plunge into politics following the urgent petition of politicians within and without the district"
 That he was absent from roll call when important measures were before Congress for consideration, that he is not a bona fde resident of the Sixth district, that he is not at heart a democrat in sym- pathy with the teachings and doctrines of the party-these were among the ar guments of his opponents which he at tempted today to refuse.
 Answers First Charge
 In reference to the first charge Con- gressman Hobson declared that he had voted on every important measure be- fore the House except when he had 'paired'' with republican, and explained at length the claim that the busy and enthusiastic congressman is not he who never misses roll call. He declared that he was born and reared in the Sixth district, that his father was thrice wsAndsd in thes service of the confed- eracy, and that the graves of his ances- tors were scattered along the hills of this, his native state. That the doctrine of democracy Is to him political religion, and that the inquities of the republican autocrats have no enemy more ruthless than he, were other statements used in refutation.
 He explained the absence of his family from the Sixth district in these words Before making this criticism, they should have made inquiries. My family. in the last three summers, has had three babies"
 During the campaign which has been started in the Sixth the alleged fall ure of Hobson to vote on important measures is destined to develop an in teresting controversy. Moody head quarters have gathered from the of ficial records a tabulation of figures showing that in the first session of the Sixty-first Congress Hobson failed to vote on 27 of 37 measures, each of which were party measures, and that in the second session he has failed to vote on 15 of 25 similar measures, one of which was the wool bill, and another that seeking to reduce duties on agri- cultural implements, when the effort was made by Oscar W. Underwood to pass them over the veto of President Taft.
 As stated above Hobson explained to- day that he had voted on every impor- tant measure, or had paired" with republican And he then charged that during 32 days of the last session of the Alabama legislature MT. Moody had failed to answer 203 roll calls.
 This latter charge Is explained at Moody headquarters in the fact that in the legislature ther is a roll call on an average of every 10 minutes, and that the great majority of the subjects under vote are of minor importance.
 Charge Made by HObsOn
 Another matter which will receive considerable discussion during the cam paign Is the charge of Hobson that Moody's candidacy was brought about by politicians within and without the district. and that il was precipitated following the sensational speeches in the House of Representatives Fitzger- I ..f which he tiIobson) was mercilessly as- sailed.
 MT. Hobson charged that there had long been an effort made 10 induce some one to compete against the in- cumbent and that it was at one time thought wisest 10 announce the can didacy of General Brandon As to why "politicians within and without the district" according to Iobson should have desired his official scalp will probably be explained 1t is said, in course of the campaign.
 Captain fobson charged further that in his opinion whether or not MT. Moody is aware of the fact the oposi- tfon was developed on account of my speech. The Great Destroyer which I am mailing out to every college student In the United states.
 In case there are developed any issues in the campaign, one of them will not he nrohibition While a trife more liberal in his views than Hobson. Moody has long been identified with the movement for real temperance in Alabama. And while the great majority of the members of the Tuscaloosa bar are prohibitionists, only two of them Gone being Hobsons ca mpaign manager) have announced themselves as opposed to the election of MT Moody.
 Uobson has always represented himself as an uncompromising prohibitionist In the Iiquor fight in Jefferson county in 1907 he played a conspicuous part, and the proposed prohibition amendment to inc constitution was crushed in 1909 de- spite the strenuous efforts of that con rressman. Mir Moody has always op- posed the licensed sale of liquor through saloons. his theory being that dispen- saries should be the substitute for blind tigers" In tho legislature he opposed the submission to the people of the 1909 prohi- hilton amendment and failing in this ef- fort. took prominent part in it's defeat at the polls
 Will Be Exciting Contest
 Throughout the district the admission ~-~-~~~~~~----~~-~~~~~Ss