The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-15
HODSON DID NOT
USE OPPORTUNITY
Declined Chairmanship of
Education Committee
HAS SUDDEN AMBITION
Now Says His Highest Desire Is To
Go to Senate So He Can Pro-
mote the Cause of Ed
ucatiOn
Nv C. e. STEWART

Washington, December 11.-tSpec1al.) In
a speech at Tyler, Ala, November q,
Capt Richmond Pearson Hobson, candi-
date for the United States Senate against
Representative Underwood, said:
THE question of education is a vital is
j sue, so do not let some one impress you
that it is only question for the state;
1t is question for the nation; it is abso-
lutely vital to the nations producing
power. If a boy goes to school up to the
age of IA years his earning power is only
81 day; to 16 years 81 per day; aues-
tion of two years more education and his
earning capacity doubled too much at
tention cannot be given to the improve
ment and development Of the youth. If
your boy only goes to common school he
can only have a chance out of 5000 to be-
come a leader; if you send him to high
school he had one chance in 400. :.
The boy that goes to college has one
chance in 40 he has 220 times the chance
Of the boy that goes TO common school,
and the people should realize that in our
children we hold the destiny of the future.
You send me to the Senate and will
have a bill introduced to have the edu-
cation of the American youth to the high
est standard; this is my highest ambition;
the committee on education of the House
hns not met in u months; the reaction
aries say to the government to keep hands
off. l believe education to be the most
vital of all and the government should as
sst in the development of its people.
at is my highest ambition to take part
in the development of a national system
OF education throughout the land"
Ambition Develops Suddenly
1t seems strange indeed that Captain
Hobson, who is possessed of this burning
ambition to do something for the educa-
ton of the youth of the land and who is
laying so much stress on what he will do
for the cause of education, If he is elected
TO the Senate, could have rested so pas
sively all during the last ongress and let
that consuming ambition shoulder, only
to spring out and assert itself after he
becomes a candidate for the Senate.
For be it known that the captain was
member of the committee on education or
the House all during the last Congress.
He failed to secure the passage of single
bill on education to benefit the dear peo-
pie and he complains that the House COM
mittee does not meet more than once a
year If he had been so ambitious TO
promote the cause of education, surely he
could have forced a few meetings of this
committee of which he was a member. 1t
is not the captains disposition to passive
" submit to the turning down of any OF
his ambitious Also the captain says
that 1T is imy highest ambition to take
part in the development of a national sys-
tenn of education throughout the landS''
Refused Craftsmanship
1t being the captains highest ambition
of course means that he desires it above
ANYTHING else under the sun. Why. then,
did the CAPTAIN refuse the chairmanship
OF the House committee on education? BY
reason of the resignation and promotion OF
the democrats ahead of tle captain on
the committee on education he was left
the ranking democrat ON that committee
at the beginning of the SiXty-thrd Con-
eress 1t was up to him to accept that
chairmanship. or a place on the committee
on naval affairs; under the rules he could
mot hold both places. What golden
opportunity to satisfy his highest am
bitjon. and perform a real service to the
American people at the same time! AS
chairman of the committee on education
-1,s. The House, certainly he could not have
asked for more power to perform the
task he so earnestly desires now to ac'
complish through the Senate.
IF he is elected to the Senate he may 10
get appointed on the Senate committee OF