davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
~ Voice
From Virginia

"All of the avowed aspirants are
men of distinction and merit, but my
individual opinion IS that the party has
an opportunity to make a magnificent
selection by choosing for its standard
Jcarer in 1912 the wise, well-balanced
and thoroughly equipped Albanian,
Hon. Oscar Underwood.
"Nr. Underwood's record in states
manship is a good enough guarantee
of his fitness for the White House.
He measures UP to all the requirements
Of the exalted position. He is fearless
and broad-minded, and there is nothing
of the demagogue in his composition.
Some will cavil at his Southern origin
and raise the oft-repeated cry that nc
Southerner can be elected to the presi-
dency. This bugaboo is raised in spite
of the fact that all the leading papers
of the North and South and all writers
Of any note have declared time ant
again that sectional feeling and preJu'
dice, based on the war of '6l-65, have
died out completely,
IF that be true is there any Longer
any valid reason against going to the
South for. a candidate? If Mr.. Under
woods personality and public service
render him peculiarly available shoulc
the matter of location bar him from tn,
nomination? The idea is absurd."-
Hon. A. C. Broxton, of Richmond, Va.
in The Baltimore Sun, January 1912.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11

The emphasis here is placed upon Mr..
U~nderwood's wisdom, but along with
this is mentioned his honesty.
These two qualities greatly impress
every one who comes into association
with Mr.. Underwood, or who closely
follows his course in Congress and in
public life. He is wise: he does not
disturb himself about little things; his
own personality is not obtruded; his
political ambitions play no part in gov
erning his words and actions. He has
an eye single to the performance of
duty and believes that duty we'll per-
formed is the most urgent considera-
ton. If doing his duty should mar his
fortunes-as he certainly believed it
would when he voted against the pen
sion bill-he will take what comes with
out complaining. Not every mar a be
president, he thinks, but every man can
try to do the best that is in him for
his country and for the times he lives
in.
And this is honesty. He plays no
politics; he stands out against raiding
the treasury-no matter what be the ex-
cuse offered-and he opposes his own
friends and associates quite as firmly
as he opposes his opponents when, in
his judgment, the thing proposed to be
done is not for the common good.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11

His name is Oscar w. Underwood;
his years are on the sunshine side Of
fifty, AS chief of the Ways and Means,
and chairman of the Committee on Com
mittees, he is Speaker Clarks right arm
in the House.
Mr.. U%nderwood's cry is Tariff for
revenue only" When Mr.. Bryan, eaten
Of a rule-or-ruin spirit, came to Wash
ington at the beginning of the special
session to trouble the waters of party
hope with an attack upon the wool bill
as proposed by the Democrats, MI. I'm
derwood, in going after Mr.. Bryan,
stated his own tariff position. Said he:
The Democratic party stands for a
tariff for revenue. The Democratic
party does not stand for free trade,
and | do not believe the people will
be misled by the statement of Mr..
Bryan"
That Mr.. Underwood is against pro-
lection, and fights it, evinces his cour-
age. He comes from the Birmingham
district in Alabama breeding-ground
of protection. In Mr.. Underwood's dis
trict there are nine railroads, one hun
bred and forty-eight miles of street-car
tracks, $~150,00O,0O0 of invested indus
tries, an annual pig-iron output of
100000 tons, and a production OF
100000 tons of coal. The city of
Birmingham has an annual payroll of
$500OOO00. The Tennessee Coal & Iron
Company, which is a part Of the Steel
Trust, controls one-third Of all the prod
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
or Axe

That with the Democratic party al
ready in power in the House, and hav-
ing a visible chance of coming into COM
plete power in the National Govern
ment, it is of interest to learn from
what viewpoint the actual pilot-in-charge
of the Democracy's legislative ship looks
at his task and by what stars he shapes
his course.
Are they fixed and stcadfast lights of
the political armament or are they mere
ly those will-o'-the wisps that flame up
as paramount issues" for this year,
only to be forgotten next year? We
get a comforting light On this question
from another remark by Mr.. Under
wood:
81 think the big question is the tariff.
1t is the question of the development Of
the industries and commerce Of the
nation"
From a Democrat that is a remark
well-nigh startling. 1t exhibits such an
unusual viewpoint. 1t is almost like
hearing Andrew Carnegie confess that
there might be such a thing as a right
eous war. Heretofore, our Democratic
statesmen have so uniformly declared
that there was nothing to the tariff
question but stopping robbers" from
robbing.
They never seemed to think of a tariff
as having anything to do with the de-
velopment OF industries and commerce.
Mr.. Underwood does. He says we
should reduce our tariff because with
the settlement of the West VIZ have left
behind the days when our home market
absorbed the products Of our factories
and left us no surplus for which we
needed to look for a market abroad.
He holds that our industrial develop
ment has outstripped the increase / n
domestic demand, and that we are pro-
ducing, or at least have the existing ca
pacity to produce, a great surplus of
manufactures for which we must find
markets in other countries. Therefore,
and since Eve cannot trade with other
people unless we permit them to trade
with us" reduce the tariff to a COMPETE
tive basis-to the Lowest rates that will
raise the revenues that the exigencies
of the Government require"
One may agree or disagree with that
theory of tariff-making. One may disbe-
lieve that its effects will be develop
ment Of the industries and commerce of
the nation" But at least it is a theory
consistent with itself and processing
constructive aims and not merely clam
oring for destruction.
And its prepayment is no doctrinairC
fresh from academic halls with his nod.
die crammed with Solutions" of every.
thing. Neither is he the freak product
of passing popular delight with the --latest
novelty among political entertainers
Chicago Mtey-Oeean, September &c
1Ql1
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
IN THE WEST

az am gratifed to see this State NOV
ing onward in almost every line and l
note the wonderful growth of Birming-
ham. | observe that The Age-Herald
has kept full step with the progressive
spirit and has led in the work.
1.-THE growing strength OF Oscar IN
derwood in the minds of the people
throughout the United States has given
Alabama a kind of publicity that the
State could obtain in no other way,
particularly on the great question OF
the tariff. for it was not thought that
one would come out Of Alabama with
its varied interests who would be a
David to defy the trusts, Oscar I'm
derwood is regarded by many men as
the best equipped, cleanest, fairest man
to-day mentioned for the presidency. II
he is nominated, he will undoubtedly
win. If any strong sentiment Of the
South demands his election he will be
nominated. Out in Colorado, with its
thousands of visitors from all parts
Of the United States, he is the first man
named by most Of them. The prom
inence given to his candidacy by the
magazines and the public press has
caused a strong tide to rise which
hope and believe will carry him to the
White House. I took much pleasure
in aiding in organizing the Underwood
cluh in Denver. and it is doing good
sarL nnaiaestionablv .n-Harrv Hawkins
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
UNDERWOODS INTEGRITY, PURITY
CIVIC COURAGE AND ABILITY

life and especially by the intimate, ex-
t%ensive, and increasing intercommuni-
cation within our borders. Our people
have for forty years literally lived to-
gether, and always more and more
closely. They have gradually ceased
to think in terms of sections, and the
South is to-day no more distinct and
apart from the East or the Middle
West or the West in the minds of those
who dwell elsewhere.
In the next place, no one under sixty
has any personal experience of the
civil conflict, and that means not mere
ly that the majority but that the great
body of voters are without this ex-
perience. 1t is more than a quarter OF
a century since the Southern Dues
ton" entered even nominally into a
National contest. If it were raised
now by any party, and those who would
be influenced by it had to stand up
and be counted, we believe they would
be ludicrously few. On the other hand,
we are confident that, were the issue
made, a great many v~oters-chiety
among those who were most earnest ii
their loyalty in the civil war-would by
a common impulse of generosity and Of
self-respect incline toward the Southern
candidate. If forced really to think Of
the matter, and to act on their conclu,
sions, it would seem too absurd to act
in the present on the issues long since
settled, settled in their favor, and set
tied forever.-The NeW York Times
November 26, 1911.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
UNDERWOOD-HOUSE LEADER
CLEAN COURAGE, HIGH HONESTY
FAITHFUL IN HIS FRIENDSHIPS

Committee, Mr.. Underwood has shown
himself to be the right man in the right
place. What advances are made by the
party in 1912 will be due largely to him.
He knows tariff in all its schedule
windings, as a man knows the Railways
of his own house. He has wisdom. He
has temper and spirit, but is neither
unreasonable nor vindictive. / have
faith in the tariff t~horoughness of Mr..
Underwood. If l owned the revenues
of the Government, l shouldn't hesitate
to employ him as night-watchman.-
Alfred Henry Lewis, in the COsm0p0I-
itan, January, 1912. .
Mr.. Underwood is faithful in his
friendships. To those whom he casually
meets, he is affable, albeit non-com-
initial, keeping his W counsel. He is
never rude nor hard; never violent,
even with blood foes. For the stranger
within his gates his air is gentle and
frank. He is easy to see, and, speaking
generally, has been ever careful to keep
himself within the reach of all. News
paper folk, sent to Mr.. Underwood by
some stress of duty, never fail to like
him. He has his dignity, but there is
no reserve. He maintains no distances
between himself and them. He answers
a question with a round readiness, or
says plainly that he can't answer it and
tells why. He expedites the business in
hand, and will even anticipate the pur-
pose of ones coming, and put questions
to himself.-Alfred Henry Lewis, in the
COSMOPOLITAN, New York, January, 1912.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11

ton even thus early. 1t is the fact
that Mr.. Underwood is a man of South
ern birth, a Representative from a South
ern State. There is a feeling, rather
than a definite opinion, which finds ex-
preston more often in his own section
than in the North, and perhaps more
often in bis own party than in the OPP
posite party, that this fact would be a
source of weakness if Mr.. Underwood
were named by the Democracy.
Of course, this is a matter not easily
to be decided with confidence in ad-
vance. There has been no occasion for
a distinct expression of public sentiment
regarding it. 1t is a half century since
a Southern candidate for the presidency
came before the Nation, and a good
deal longer than that since II was
elected. Great events have interviewed
ard left their impress on the minds
and hearts of men, the depth and di-
rection of which no one can surely es-
innate. Our own judgment is that a
candidate from the South-other things
being equal-would not be weaker and
might even be the stronger for that fact,
In a broad way, it may safely be said
that there is in Our people now a sense
of tried and proved and established
nationality which might, and probably
would, welcome an opportunity for
manifesting itself. This sense of ma
tionality has grown progressively ever
since the close of the war for the
Union. 1t has been steadily strength
ened by the conditions Of our National
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11

ucts of the district. One-third of all the
iron-ore holdings of the Steel Trust are
in and around Birmingham. Surely, at
first glance, a bad outlook for a tariff
rcformer! And yet Mr.. Underwood
succeeds and re-succeeds himself with
ever climbing majorities.
1t is the Underwood honesty that
does it-that, and his clean courage.
The dominant quality in MI. Underwood
is honesty, and folk have found it out.
Honesty is among the scarcest of earth
.ly commodities, and when a community
has discovered it in the possession of
an individual, it guards it and works it
like a gold-mine for every final ounce.
Mr.. Underwood is honest: His cleo
ton was not the work of money. He
was not chosen as either the pet of the
railroads or the hrst-born of the trusts.
His seat was given him by the people,
and because they believed he would fill
it to the best Of public advantage.
This emanation of the popular gives
Mr.. Underwood the House high ground,
and he is so far military in his genius
that he knows how to fortify and hold
it. From his place as a peoples repre-
sentative, he can overstare and keep in
check the Paynes and the Dalzells and
the Crumpackers, who are present mere
ly by the grace of pirate money, and
dwell, therefore, on House levels much
lower than his own.-Alfred Henry
Lewis in the Cosmopolitan, New York.
January, 1912.
As the head of the Ways and Means
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11

In this mornings magazine section
of The Times our readers will find the
very interesting report of an inquiry
by a staff correspondent into the record
and repute, in his W home, of the
Hon. Oscar w. Underwood of Ala
bama, who has recently been discussed
as a possible Democratic candidate for
the presidency. 1t is needless to say
that The Times is not concerned to adj
vance the interests of any gentleman
in this direction in preference to any
other: 1t is concerned only in laying
before its readers such information,
carefully gathered and impartially pre-
sented, as will aid in the formation of
sound public opinion and a choice that
will be to the greatest advantage of the
Nation.
We think our readers will agree that
any party may be congratulated among
whose prominent men, to whom the
eyes of the party are directed on the
eve of a presidential campaign, there
is one with such standing among those
who know him best as Mr.. underwood
has. Plainly he is a man to be trusted
because he is trusted, for his integrity
purity, civic courage, and ability, by his
own people. Whether, when the time
comes for a choice, he will be consid-
cred the best man is a question which
it is now too early to decide. But there
is one element that will enter into the
problem which may we'll receive atten'
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
Leaders
and the Tariff

No sensible man, certainly no one
friendly to the South, wishes to see the
tariff made a sectional question. The
course of Mr.. Clark and Mr.. Under
wood tends to prevent this. They stand
not only with their own party through
out the country, but with the strong
public sentiment in support of tariff re-
duction that has divided the Republican
party, and thrown the House into the
hands of the Democrats. When we say
that in this they are serving their own
section, we have in mind the important
fact that they are bringing to bear on
national affairs the intelligence and
strength of their section, and giving it
the opportunity to take a leading part
in the affairs of the Nation. They are
undermining the unfortunate section
alism that has, perhaps unavoidably,
pervaded Southern politics for a long
time. They are ranging the South or
the side of progress and in the line
of the most significant movement Of
national opinion that has manifested it.
self in years. Nothing is more certain
than that our vast and intricate anc
oppressive tariff system is to BIZ
reformed, and its reform is bound tc
be the one task of craftsmanship in tht
next few years. 1t can be determined
and under certain conditions it can b.
led by the men of the South.-Neu
York Times, January 81, 1911.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
LOOMS UP

Whether the disclaimer of Represen-
ttive Oscar w. Underwood Of candi-
d cy for the Democratic nomination for
p. .sidcnt is to stand or not, there is no
question that he is looming large and
seriously, no less at the North than at
the South, as a possibility, if not this
TIM, then in the near future. Mr..
Underwood is making a widespread and
distinctive impression, not only as the
honest, bold, sagacious leader Of the
House majority, and not only as a mas
terful Southern Democrat, but as an
Amer can publicist and statesman
man If affairs and broad concept Of
his re. possibility to the whole people,
Richm md, Va, Times-D iSPGteh, re-
printed in the Birmingham, Alaa Ags-
Herald, January p, 1912.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
DEMOCRATIC LEADERSHIP

The most salient fact connected with
the story of the bill in the present Con
gress is the remarkable strength Of the
Democratic tactics, and the high quail
ity shown by Mr.. Underwood, the leader
Of the party on the floor. The farmers
free list bill was a master stroke, and
Mr.. Underwood utilized it in the debate
with an effectiveness that left nothing to
be desired. What gives real strength to
the Democratic position is that the party
is graphing with a big and difficult
question in a spirit that is at once
courageous and practical. If there is to
be an era of such leadership as that rep
resented by Mr.. Underwood, the term
practical politics. may be rescued from
the ignominy into which it has fallen
and recover the meaning to which it is
legitimately entitled.-Ne7g York Eve-
Al I'll. II no.0Ia
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
"A Voice
From Florida

Oscar Underwood, however, has
more friends than any mar mentioned
for the Democratic presidential nomi-
nation. He is more popular throughout
the country with all the Democrats than
the others. He is almost the unanimous
second choice. If you ask the Harmon
men who they would be for in case
Harmon could not be nominated they
will say Underwood; when you ask the
Wilson men the same question as to
Wilson, they reply that if Wilson can
not be the nominee, Underwood is their
choice; and the same thing is true of
the Champ Clark men."-T. A. Jennings,
National Committeeman from Florida,
in the Pensacola Evening Meas, Friday
evening. January II, 1912.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
a Southern PreSi-
dental Possibility

In the mention of Oscar W. Under
wood, of Alabama, for the Democratic
Presidential nomination resides a good
deal more than a suggestion that we
nave got too far away from the Civil
War era to regard a statesman as nee
e~ssarilv unavailable" because he comes
from a commonwealth that was a mem
Der of the Southern C~onfederacy.
OF the men now before the country
as possible or probable Democratic
candidates for the Presidency, Under
wood is certainly one Of the strongest.
He has had a fine training in Congress,
and is in himself a man of natural force
and large capacity for work-and work
ers are what we want in executive posi-
tons. He has been a member of the
House OF Representatives for some fiji
teen years, and has risen by force OF
merit, and nothing but merit, to a posi-
ton which made it inevitable that he
should be Chairman of the Committee
on WAYS and Means when the Demo-
Gratis came into control of the popular
branch Of the Government. He has the
youth, the environment, the enthusiasm,
the courage, the political sagacity, and
the statesmanly qualities fully to Justify
his consideration in connection with the
Presidential nomination.
Mr.. Underwood is a conservative man,
who is capable Of entertaining pro-
gressive ideals and at the same time OF
realizing fully the duty and the ne
cessity for conserving substantial inter
ests Of the community. The Democratic
party might go farther and do vastly
worse than if it should nominate him
as its standard-bearer of l9l2.-Mm-
sey'S Maga5ine, January, 1912.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
Underwood Among
1912 Possibilities

The threatened breakdown of Ma
jority Leader Underwood, as a result of
long hours of hard work on the tariff
in the Ways and Means Committee, put
many a Democrat in a nervous state of
mind. There developed suddenly a full
appreciation of the worth of the Ala
bama Congressman as a leader. For
Mr.. Underwood to become disabled or
to be removed from the scene of his
usefulness at this critical time would be
like pulling a corne post out from
under a platform on which was heaped
most of the political treasures of the
party, Democrats quite generally are
willing to admit.
Credit for the achievements of the
Democratic House bearing the stamp O.
constructive craftsmanship is givef
readily to the majority leader. Due t.
his success as a legislative managerial,
ability in most tests to keep the Hous,
Democracy united-and the fact tina
Civil War wounds have been allowed t.
heal because of the scarcity Of publ
men of the type of Senator Hepburn
of Idaho, a Southerner is being Sc
riously considered North and South a
presidential material. The Underwood
for President movement has been at
tracing volunteer workers steadil,
since last spring, when the newly-in
stalled Democratic House assumed it
responsibilities. An Underwood boon
for the Democratic nomination fo
President put on long trousers at Tn
beginning of this, the national campaigl
year.-Austin Cunningham, in the So,
Antonio Express, January 5, 1912.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
MR..

Meanwhile Mr.. Underwood has a
work to do in Washington for which he
has revealed a remarkable aptitude. 1t
is not too much to say that the existing
harmony among the Democratic mem
bers of the House, and the ability they
showed at the last session to work to-
gether, are largely due to his skillful
leadership. He proposes to resume the
task of tariff revision at the point where
it was interrupted by the Presidents
vetoes.-The Precedence (R. ~ Jour-
nal December 2, 1911.
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
A FIGURE OF NATIONAL

In a politician t
recklessness, becai
translated in maj
same thing; but
dom in a states
have but partial
a party following
of immense gooC
South has in M
who can be trus
man whose patrit
small things, nc,
burden of any pr
For our part,
wisdom is of mo
would be the kt
ing; and that thi
seeking, this con
the politician, is \
he himself has h
things he regard
The country col
to put its entire
and there is good
will do SO. A.
should not "hesii
night Waterman
from the South, b
attitude is critical
is of the North,
not to be despis
very great.
Register, January
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
HEARS MUCH POLITICAL TALK

an travelling through the country
hear no end of political talk" said
James A. Braun, sales manager Of the
Wyeth Chemical Company Of New
York.
During the past FIVE or six weeks !
have heard Underwood very much dis.
cussed as 2 presidential proposition. |
found in II, Carolinas a great deal Of
Underwood sentiment, ! have been
keeping I'D with Underwood's record
in Congress, and I believe that his
commanding position in the Democratic
party will be appreciated by the rant
and Gle Of the Demo-
Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1912-04-11
Underwe

The Democrat
reason to be pro
er, Chairman Tn
and Means Comm
has given ample
session Of the q
tial to the positie
onstrated most c
a man who cam
lied from the 20
In the debate (
iprocity bill for
made the bluff t
vors the enactm
Mr.. Underwood
Effectively by p
from his home 4
United States !.
stopped work on
giving as their +
stood in Congress
reductions on ste
| MIR. Underwood
ago the steel tru
because Of the I
| ened to turn hi
| he voted for red
III voted for tn,
stated, "and they
to turn me out
| Underwood is
the people have
such as he than
of corporation-cc
The OcalG Daily
%, 1911,