The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-21
H0BSON |NS|STSH
REFERRED TO 1907
Sessions Also Asks Johnston
Some Questions About
Recent Statements

Capt. R. P. Hobson yesterday sent the
Following letter from Cullman:
10 the Editor of The Age Herald:
My attention has been called to an
article published In your issue of De-
cember 10 by Mr. Forney Johnston,
manager of Mr.. Underwoods campaign
accusing me of 'mendacity, saying that
! nave been accusing Mr.. Underwood
In my speeches of voting wet in Jef-
1erson county election of 1911. l have
made no such statement What. 1 did
charge is that, in the election of 1907
the one local option election In which
Mr. Underwood did vote, that he voted
wet and l challenge him or Mr. John
ston to deny this charge.
The astounding thing to me Is that
MT. Johnston, who knows that Mr.. I'm
derwood voted wet in the 1907 elec-
tion, is trying to convey the impression
that Mr.. Underwood has not voted wet
at all. He is guilty of the grossest
duplfcity as well as 'mendacity' and
by cheap evasion falsely accuses me OF
'mendacity.'
u can only infer that he is desper-
ateAoEer the collapse of the Underwood
boom, which now he sees cannot be
revived. r. P. HOBSON.
.Cullman, December 20, 1913"
walter Sessions chairman of the
Hobson Jefferson county campaign
committee. gives out the following
statement with reference to Chairman
Forney Johnston's article about Mr.
Underwood not voting in 1911 in the
local option election
is Mr.. Underwood wet or dry?
Let the record answer.
rs Chairman Forney Johnston trying
to create the impression that Mr.. I'M
derWood was in 1911 and is now a pro-
hibitionist?
Does Chairman Johnston mean to
assert that Mr.. Underwood was in
1911 and is now opposed to the exis-
tence OF saloons in jefferson county
II so, why does not he announce
tne fact In plain language? And why
dld not Mr., Underwood himself an
nounce the fact in some one of the
many speeches he made recently in
Alabama in the interest of his sena
torial campaign?
Mr. Underwood said he was In ia
vor of local option, but there he
stopped, not caring to inform his hear
efs, as to what use he proposed to
make of that option. He said he was
ior temperance that appealed to the
head and heart. That is precisely the
same brand of temperance that every
advocate OF saloons declares he fayors
it means simply that the speaker would
set up saloons, wholesale beer and
WHISKY agencies, and drinking clubs
ana then appeal to the heart and head
OF young men to avoid these pitfalls
Ihey would set up and lead men into
temptation and then advise men to
gain strength by resisting Temptation.
Such was not tho prayer of our Lord
who taught us to pray, Lead us not
into temptation. but deliver us from
evil.'
But what is Mr.. Underwood's rec
ord In Alabama ON the liquor ques-
tion?
i 81. He voted for saloons IN 1af-
fferson county in 1907. He will not deny,
and never has denied this
z. He came out feebly against the
amendment in 1909 and presumabl
voted sainst It,
70. In 1911 he absented himself from
against saloons was on and sent no
against saloons was on and sent on
word of comfort to those who were
fighting to save the county from the
saloon reign. He was then thinking, no
doubt, of running for the presidency
and did not wish to offend prohibi-
tiohlstS. % he renamed silent on the
great question and did not come homo
to vote. How would he have voted had
he not been so exhausted by his con-
gressional labors and had he been able
To come home? How did Mr. Johnston
himself vote In 1911?
will Mr.. Johnston and Mr.. Under
wood answer these questions squarely
and without evasion?
a. Mr.. Underwood now declares for
local option, which means a chance for
saloons to exist and he declares against
national prohibition amendment,
which, he says. means federal bayo-
nets We have no federal bayonets en-
forcing the present federal anti-liquor
laws and why should any be required
to enforce a national prohibition laws
Is Mr.. Underwood trying to frighten
the people as many of his leaders and
supporters did in 1909 with their wild
talk about invading the sanctity of the
home?
1T is respectfully submitted that
upon the foregoing record Mr.. Under
wood must be placed politically and
personally against prohibition and for
the liquor traffic.
"Fhe campaign is yet young. so in
the beginning it is wen to get the
record straight and keep it so.'