The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-15

IL o'clock. In reference to tho recent
trip TO Muscle Shoals, Mr. lAshcraft
| stated that great man and u great
enterprise have this day come face to
| face and success will be born of the
meeting" Mr.. Underwood after express
ing his pleasure in appearing before an
audience in Florence launched into the
subject of the senatorial campaign.
Mr.. Underwood said:
UnderwOod's Speech -
People have asked whose candidate
I am and for whose interest l am run
ming. ] am my own candidate and no.
body else's Reports have been circu-
lated that l was bought out by Ger
tain allied interests to beat my dis
tinguished opponent.
! "Since Senator Johnston's death,
believe any Alabamian has the priv
ilege of making the race for this dis
tinguished office who can present the
correct rights and claims. | didn't in
vite Mr. Clayton to withdraw from the
race, but l was glad when he did
withdraw. l would be glad If my hon
orable opponent would withdraw also
1
II am candidate because I am the
senior member of the House of Repre-
sentatives and for 10 years l have en-
deavored to be faithful 20 the trust
the people of the great state of Ala
bama have placed in me. There is a
vacancy In the Senate. 1t is an hon
| orabla promotion frCm the House to
the Senate and If ! have met the ap
proval of my constituency I ask fof
| that promotion, so that instead of rep
resenting district in the Congress of
the United States / may have the honor
! OF serving the entire state of Ala
bama.
MY distinguished opponent says lie
has worked hard for the people Of Ala
bama. Ever since 1 have been in Con-
gress | have been working for the ad-
vancement of the principles and have
never broken faith with my party. /
believe in a strict Jeffersonian dem
ocraey. since I was p years old / have
voted the straight democratic ticket. l
have been a loyal democrat and a
loyal party man In the House of Rep
resentatives for 10 years.
| 81 believe because of my answering
loyalty to our principles that Alabama
today leads in the national House of Rep
| presentatives for the first time since
| Alabama became a state.
For the first time in the history of the
state, Alabama has been able to present
| the name of one OF her sons for the
F! first national position. Forty-four votes
! from New England and from the west
From different sections it was proclaimed
| to the world that Alabama had a son
capable to receive the highest gift of the
| nation. If I had been untrue to my
party, If I had been untrue to my state,
my name would never been presented to
the national committee for recognition.
:. H..
of leader in the House of Representa-
tives if my name and character had been
smeared? This would never have been
accorded to me.
Wants People to Decide
| at was not until 1 announced was a
candidate for senator that any man saw
| fit to assail my name or my character,
] do not believe in mud singing. | do
not believe it Is necessary to assail a
mans character in order to defeat him
| for any office. I ask that the democrats
of Alabama challenge my record on the
floor of the House and then decide II l
am tool of any allied trusts of any
liquor interests. My distinguished op-
ponent brought these same charges
against Senator Bankhead Mr.. Davis, and
Senator Moody of Tuscaloosa. but not
until Moody had announced himself as
candidate for the position occupied by
Mr.. Underwood then went into details
in regard TO the work he had accom-
plished in revising the tariff which would
of itself prove he was no tool of tho
liquor interests. He stated that the tenn
perance question was no issue in this
campaign, as it would take tbree-fourths
OF the states to ratify an amendment to
the constitution. He did not consider that
national prohibition was an issue. State
and county unit must settle the tenn
perance question for some time as yet.
Effort to Assist Farmers
lie spoke of his effort to assist the
farmers in placing baggng and ties OH
the free list and all agricultural impe-
ments. He stated sewing machines for
| which the American people paid s25 could
| be bought in the Orient for $3.50. This
+, would all be done away with by the pas
| sage of the regulation tariff bill.
Mr.. Underwood recounted the different
articles placed on the free list for the
| benefit of the American farmer. For the
benefit of the toiling masses. of the
struggling poor in the cities, bread and
| meat was placed on the free list. and he
| had done his part. In passing this law
| his distinguished opponent might class
| him with chair warmers and cloak-room
{ loungers. but he was on the job from the
| beginning to the end.
w
while many a time his distinguished OPP
| ponent was receiving $50 per day for
| chautauqua lectures in addition to the
! $500 a year paid him by the government
/ to represent the great state of Alabama
in Washington.
Mr. Underwood then in glowing terms
described the benefit the Tri-Cities would
receive from the development OF this
great water power. He had just returned
| from examining the Muscle Shoals, and he
stated the possibilities of the magnificent
and stupendous project was almost beyond
compare. He also stated that at one time
| birmingham contemplated securing this
water power by tapping the river at Bear
| creek and turning the channel of the
| river.
Case in Hands of People
At the close of his speech, to which
| every one listened with unflagging inter
est, Mr.. Underwood stated that his case
was in the hands of the people. They
must be the jurors to decide the verdict
and by their votes place him at the goa
| of this ambition or relegate him to the
duties and privilege of private citizen
Mr. Underwood was the honor guest al
a banquet given by the Tri-Cities to the
Tennessee River Improvement association
tonight at the Sheffield hotel. Imme
diately after his speech IN Florence hs
motored over 70 Sheffield to meet witt
the delegates of this association.