The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-18

with. The hearings commenced January
Z, 1918, and the bill was reported by the
committee on May Ia period OF four
months expired and not once did Hobson
appear before that committee, even
though the great democratic party of
which he is supposed to be a part was for
the first time In 20 years really in the
saddle, and preparing to make the coun-
try a better place TO live in. The COM
mittee sessions commenced at 10 o'clock in
the morning and frequently lasted until
midnight, and where was the great and
able man? Not before the committee at
any time.
He left that work. the real work for
others to do. I have already called atten-
tion to Congress to his absence at the tins
the vote was taken to regulate the ap-
pointment of deputy internal revenue col
lectors and deputy United States marshals
in the southern states. Where was he
when his associates from the great south
sought to remove this relic of the in
famous reconstruction period?" Absent.
If it were not for the votes of three
Connecticut and one Massachusetts MEM
ber the law would have remained un-
changed because the measure would have
failed 1t was more pleasing to the dis
tinguished gentleman from the Sixth Ala
bama district to be up in PENNSYLVANIA
receipts, furnishing. an intellectual treat
to those who have the money to pay and
taking the time from those who had
waited so years for the government to pay
fer the damage done by Federal soldiers
in the southland.
Southern War Claims
Where was Hobson when the vote was
taken upon the bill carrying 81 10000 In
war claims, the claims of southern people,
his people, the ones to whom he should be
ready to serve first, last and all of the
time? These war claims were to right
many wrongs, and many of the claim
ants had died waiting for the passage of
the claims. Others had become octoge-
narians waiting to be reimbursed for the
devastation of war, and others had be-
come insane waiting for the wrong to be
righted. Some of those who had claims
were church societies. Masonic lodges,
Odd Fellows lodges, as well as southern
schools and hospitals. Then there was
about $4,000 of these claims that were
for damage done to the property of indi-
viduals in the south and the distinguished
member from the Sixth Alabama left it
to the one he characterized as common,
filthy bartender" to cast a vote for the
relief of his friends and neighbors whom
he wants to send him to the United States
Senate.
Where was Hobson when the great
agricultural extension bill came up for a
hearing? Is his district the home of those
who live only by clipping coupons from
their stocks and bonds? This is the most
important piece of legislation that has
come before Congress in so years. Did
Hobson appear and suggest something? +?
No. He did not contribute a word for the
farmer of Alabama or any other state
and yet, In the language of Mr. Gross
president of the Soil Fertility league, 'the
soil is the principal asset of the nation
and when that factor fails the nation is
at the end of its progress" VIII Captain
Hobson's answer to the people of his state
be that some liquor men spirited him
away from the capitol SO that he could
not vote?
Hiding Behind Cloaks
To escape from criticism Captain Hob
son endeavors to hide behind the cloaks
of his fellow members of Congress. If he
would tell the truth when he speaks OF
Mr.. Underwood's short trip to Hot
Springs he would say that Mr.. Underwood
had, between January Z and May of the
current year, performed more congress
sional labor than he (Hobson) had per-
formed in the four terms that he has
been in Congress. In speaking about the
absence of Judge Clayton in Panama he
should tell the truth and state that the
position of the judge Is chairman of the
| judiciary committee, that he was at the
head of the legal department of the great
est business In the world the United
States government and that 1t was quite
| essential that the judge should see the
| physical side of the governments hold
| ings at the canal in order to be familiar
with the laws that he is going to shape
| in relation to the regulation of the prop
critics. A search of the record will show
| that there have been few days when this