The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-23


opposed a certain amendment to GER
tain bill in which the 'eight-hour day
clause was involved He admitted that
in view of certain important circum-
stances, one of which was that that day
was the last day of Congress, he had,
in fact, moved a recess, and that neither
the author of the amendment nor Cap
tain Hobson had opposed his motion.
He then stated that he had always sup
ported the bills desired by labor. and
after parrying the blow of his opponent,
delivered a solar-plexus
Il have here a statement" he said,
holding up written page to the view
of all. You can see, if you DESIRE that
it. is signed by Samuel Gompers, presi-
dent, and Frank Morrison, secretary, of
the American Federation of Labor. In
the statement these leaders of labor de-
clare that there was once before the
House an amendment proposed by Sena-
tor Hughes of New Jersey, providing that
| in government contracts in the navy de-
| partments the eight-hour day should pre-
vail. On the motion to strike that amend
ment from the bill, Gompers and Morrison
| say in this statement sent to local labor
union, that 1 voted nay
Now, how did my distinguished )p-
ponent vote on this labor amendment?"
"Ayei ayel" cried several loud voices
! from the audience
Mr. Underwood stood shaking his head
with that Irritating smile which ap-
! pealed just then with remarkable sig
nificance.
"No, my fellow citizens" he added,
my distinguished opponent did not vote
| aye He voted present"
| There followed shouts of laughter and
of derision. A large number of members
| of labor unions, seated near the front
| of the stage, after listening attentively
| to what had been said, cheered vocifer.
ously.
Would Leave 1t to Records
Mr.. Underwood scored heavily in
answering Hobson's charge that while
he, Hobson, was a progressive, Mr.. I'm
| derWood was a reactionary.
He expressed his willingness to leave
1t to the records OF the two as to
which was the progressive and which
the reactionary. After going into tho
records and showing that he had al
ways voted with the democratic party
while Hobson had on various occa-
sions voted against his party and with
the republicans, he supplemented his
former query with;
And which of us is a democrat and
which a republican,"
Mr.. Underwood stated that If he was
a reactionary, the democratic party
! was reactionary ard that if the peo-
pie indicted him on that charge they
would also indict the democratic party
| For L have always worked for and
voted with the democratic party" he
added. MY distinguished opponent has
on various OCCASIONS worked for and
voted for measures sponsored by the
reactionary republican party.
Some Work of the Past
| Il introduced a bill years ago"
stated Mr.. Underwood, "providing for
| hn i~nn oil of
81 have supported all railroad regu-
lation bills.
81 supported the bill providing more
| power for the interstate commerce
commission and when that bill was up
for vote my distinguished opponent
was absent and impaired.
Il voted for the establishment of a
bureau of mines for pure food laws,
for publicity to and limitation of cam
paign contributions, for the great cur
reney bill, and the great tarieessSu
Are these not progressive iheas-
ures? Then on what does my distin-
guished opponent hang his charges
| that l am a reactionary?
! Now my opponent on four occa-
sions when the Payne bill, republican
measure providing for high protective
tariff, was under consideration, voted
with the republicans in support of that
bill
MY opponent voted with the repub-
licans to retain high protective tar
| iff on lumber. the shelter of the poor,
and for which a corrupt and insidious
lobby iabored day in and day out.
! "Now, which of us is the progress
sive and which the reactionary; which
the democrat and which the repub-
lican?
Voted for Protected Lumber
"In my opponents district there are
eXtensive lumber interests. He voted
to retain a high protective duty on
Humber In my district there are ex-
tensiye manufacturing interests. In
writing the tariff bill [ put the prod
ucts of my district on the free list.
(which is the progressive; which the
reactionary?
| Il put the products of my district
on the free list because l could not
| lead the squadron of democracy against
| the republican citadel of iniquity with
out barring my own breast. without
serving my self with the same spoon |
served my enemies. / did not endeavor
| to discriminate in favor of my own
district in this struggle for the people
and did not consider the business in
which my interests are.
| Il have been called a tool of Wall
street and the money interests. And
yet against the moneyed interests of
the country | aided in the prepara-
tion of the tariff bill which bears my
name and led the fight for It's passage.
| The tariff bill removes $115,000,0 000 of
| taxes from the backs of the poor and
| inflicts on the wealth of the nation
| S125.0 600 annually in the way of an