The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-31
concerning
JOHNSTON ABSURD
Son Says He Is in the Race
to Stay
HOBSON HIS OPPONENT
UnderwO0d's Friends Surprised at
Use of His Name in Connection
With Race for Senate in
Alabama
HOBSON HIS OPPONENT

The report published yesterday in Bir.
mingham newspaper in reference to the
impending race for the senate in Ala.
bama. was characterized yesterday b,
Forney Johnston, son of Senator John.
ston as "a political absurdity."
II do not get the paper In question,
stated Mr.. Johnston, but when my at
tention was called to the fact that such
a report had been published, 1 came tc
town to secure copy. 1 read it. The
report that my fathers health eliminate:
him was based on very strong presump
ton.
"Of course, no one can tell what MAY
happen, but at the present time ths
health of Senator Johnston is very good
AS matter of fact, he is in fine shape
and is in the race to stay. Under tbe
conditions there is no reason for report
that either Congressman Underwood OF
Congressman Clayton will rum
Senator Johnston himself is out of tn,
city, but it is understood that at hi.
earliest convenience he will wire that the
report of his sudden taxing off was yer,
much exaggerated :
Race Seems Well Defined
Save in the event of very grave Illness
or worse falling to either Senator John
ston or Captain Hobson, and at the pres
ent time there seems to be no ground 70,
fear in regard to either, the race for th,
Senate will be between these two gentle
men and no others.
The campaign will be actively pitched
during the summer, most probably fol
lowing the adjournment of the extraordi
nary session of Congress. Headquarter.
for the contenders will be opened in Bir
mingham and in other cities of the state
and the fight will be to the end.
At, the present time both men are very
quietly going about the construction o1
their political fences. Neither Is asleer
on the job or at the switch. Both antici-
pate q roaring campaign. in which per-
sonalities will figure. There is no ques.
tion but that Captain Hobson will refer
to Senator Johnston as "resctionary,'
and will ask him to explain his vote ir
favor of the retention In the Senate ,i
Senator Lorimer. Senator Johnston viii
refer to Congressman Hobson's politica
scheme to join b. B. Conner and w. D.
Seed in tying up the state, and will pub
lish his record in Congress, and will joe
ularly refer to his activity as leader oi
the suffragettes in the Washington pa
rade, in which were several men and
women of very dark hue.
Use of UnderwOOd's Name
The interjection of the name of Oscar
w. Underwood as q probable candidate
came as a surprise to Mr.. Underwood
real friends in Alabama.
E. X. Campbell was asked for a state
ment He declared that he had not seen
yesterdays issue of the paper containing
the report.
Despite that fact, however, he said
'htse is no ground on which to base
such an assumption. Mr.. Underwood, as
floor leader of the dominant party, is one
of the big men of the nation. Had he en-
tered the cabinet, he would have gained
nothing. and lost much. 1t stands to rea-
son that he will not yield his position
to run for seat in the Senate. Were he
to be chosen SENATOR 1t would require
some time for his sterling qualities to ele-
vate him to a position of leadership COM
mensurate with that which he nog holds.