The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-11-03
MoNDAY. NovEMBER ;. 1s1s.
The Hobson-U Underwood
Fight in Alabama.

The 11obSon- Underwood fight in
Alabama would be amusing if 1t were
not 50 serious. To those of us on
the outside It is amusing. but from
what we can read and hear the sup
Dorters of the respective candidates are
taking the matter very seriously In
Alabama and indications are that the
fight iv going to be one OF the most
remarkable in the history of that great
commonwealth.
Before Senator Johnston died Repre-
sentative Hobson announced that he
would be a candidate to succeed the
senator in the upper branch of con-
gress. Had Senator Johnston not died
the chances are that these two would
have been the only candidates in the
field and that Hobson would have been
easily elected.
Senator Johnston's death, however.
changed the whole situation. Con-
rronted by the possibility of Hobson's
election. politicians got together and
persuaded Governor O'Neal to appoint
Representative Clayton to All the un-
expired term of Senator Johnston. al
though public opinion everywhere
agreed that the appointment was ir-
regular and that the appointee would
not be seated. A great deal Of re-
sentiment resulted and it all tended to
augment the Hobson strength.
AS last resort. therefore, the Hob
son opponents began TO clamor for
Oscar Underwood and the distinguish
ed house leader finally announced. that
he would be a candidate for the senate
after the tariff bill was out of the way.
This put Representative Clayton in
position wherein some diplomacy was
required to extricate the distinguished
chairman of the house judiciary COM
mittee from sure defeat He not only
saw the desertion of his original
friends on the one hand, most of whom
had gone over to Underwood, but he
saw several candidates for the seat in
congress which he now holds. Accord
fngly the president, who was either
iIl-advised or who acted rather hastily
I'm the matter. wrote Representative
CLAYTON letter expressing to him the
presidents desire that he should stay
in the house and this gave the repre-
sentative from the third district
chance to gracefully retire from the
senatorial race and to again become
= candidate for reelection to his old
seat.
OF course it may be a matter OF
some curiosity as to why the president
thought Clayton's services in the house
were OF such importance as to necessi-
tate such letter to him, but on the
other hand did not think Representa-
tive Underwood's services OF sufficient
Importance to require a similar letter
to the house leader. These matters
have not been explained and they are
ali the cause of discussion and specula-
ton and viii combine to make the con-
test between the hero of the Merrimao
and the late candidate for the presi-
Dental nomination memorable one.
Underwood is probably the only man
in Alabama, unless it should be Conner.
who could beat Hobson for the senate
and reports from Alabama indicate
that even Mr.. Underwood viii not
have a walkover. In fact before
Hobson gets through with the cam
paign it win be evident to everyone
both inside and outside of the state
that some fight is on. Let us trust
that fair election viii enable the
man who gets the most votes to win.
-<A----
Another life of usefulness cut short, |
A sioux City fireman has inherited the
title OF count and $3.50. 900.