The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-14
Sensational Debate on Floor
of House Between Alabama
Candidates for Senate; Friend
of Liquor interests
MAJORITY LEADER
WHITE. WITH ANGER
Calls on Colleague for Proof
and Challenges Him to Get
Adverse Statement from MIR.
Bryan Now---Brings in Name
of Thomas F. Ryan


of Thomas F. Ryan
WASHINGTON. oct. IA political
debate between Oscar W. Underwood X
and Richmond p. Hobson, candidates
for the United states senate from the
State Of Alabama, in the house today
hordered on the sensational. The
names Of President Wilson, William J.
Bryan and Thomas F. Ryan. of New
York. were brought into the bitter dis
eussiou. Nh
Mr. Hobson reiterated q charge he
had made on the stump in Alabam&
that Mr.. Underwood as a. candidate for
the Democratic presidential nomination
last year was used as tool by Wall
street" and that he was likewise
tool of the liquor interests. Mr..
Hohson further charged that support
for Mr.. Underwood's presidential cam
didacy was obtained under false pre-
fences"
Underwood Replies.
Underwood, white with anger, ra-
piled, calling on hts antagonist TO pro-
/ duce evidence that he ever had served
the interests of either Wall street or
of the whiskey ring
The Underwood Hobson debate was
f
house in many years.
Hobson recalled that in 1912 William
J. Bryan had characterized Underwood
as a 'reactionary candidate,
/ Replying to this thrust, Mr.. Under-
wood said
/ MIR. Bryan and have had our DIFF
/ farcncea-W hurried them for thu
benefit of the Democratic party.
challenge the gentleman to get from
n statement
| reactionary,"
This statement which embodied tha
! news first publicly made known. that
Mr.. Underwood and Mr.. Bryan had
buried the Ratchet as did Mr.. Bryan
and Speaker Clark early in the Will
son administration. was greeted with
loud applause by the Democrats.
Mr. Hobson was responsible for the
/ debate. He was provoked to utter
ances by speech delivered in tina
house last week by Representative
Donovan. OF Connecticut Democrat
who rebuked Mr.. Hobson for neglect-
/ ing his public duties in pursuit OF tho
elusive dollar on the chautauqua cF-
I cult.
/ Hobson began by inserting IN tho
record newspaper articles commenting
on the withdrawal from the senatorial
/ race of Representative Henry ID. clay
ton at the suggestion of President
(. Wilson.
Trtcked Him and People.
One of these newspaper articles ak
press curiosity concerning Hobsono
support of Underwood for the presl-.
DENTAL nomination. IF he knew all
these dark and evil things about him.
! This referred to Hohson's charge that
Underwood was a tool of the ''interestas
lin the whiskey ring.
Next Hohsor inserted in the record
an excerpt from Senator BankheadS
testimony before the senate campaign
Investigating COMMITTEES in waich h0
( acknowledged having received S3s,oeV
from Thomas r. Ryaa for the Under.
wood rreconvention campaign, bat exc
nlafned that he assumed fun reSponsi-S
bilfty for the acceptance and disourss-
ment of the Ryan money.
Hobson then read from the Com.
uaoner, MIR. Bryan's statement. as fol-
lows;
"Mr. Harmon and MIR, Underwood
are the reactionary candidates. ME-.
Harmon was picked out first, but the
big business began to smile on Mr.
Underwood as soon as IL became eVa-3
dent that Harmon was not making
Roadway"
THAT is not my statement" said
Hobson. That is the statement g
William Jennings Bryan. and. how
: ever. men may differ with MIR Bryan'a
political policies, ! have to see a man
who doubts his integrity, his honesty
and his truthfulness,
Under False Prctenses.
my support of MIR. Underwood ana
the support Of the loyal Democrats
and the Progressive citizens of Ala
bama," added Hobson, were obtained'
under false pretenses. Had known
that Thomas Fortune Ryan. the man
whom Mr. Bryan rehuked by name.
at the Baltimore convention and ac-s
eused of being the tool Of wan street
and of trying to capture the party
WAS financing the major part or Us
car Underwood's campaign. not only
would | have supported him, but
would have fought him, and what ~
more he never would have been the
choice Of the people OF Alabama !.
THE support of the people OF
Alabama | say, was secured for MI.
Underwood for the presidency under
false pretenses. and | here declare
that their support OF him for tbs
United States senate shall not be on
tanned similarly under false pre-
lenses.
Mr., Underwood. who had listened
to this TRADE and had gradually hoen
growing white with anger lost no
time IN replying He beganeby ex-s
pressing regret that Alabama pclt-i
Tics was dragged" to the floor "A
the house. Referring TO newspapeE
statements that Mr.. Hobson had Antd
in a public speech and interyieW9
that Mr.. Underwood was "a tool ~
Wall Street" and tool of the 1lauaE
Interests the house leader said h4
had waited patiently 10 answer TIM
charges until he could look ME- hoex
son in the face. sa
Calls For Evidence.
Then tuning gravely toward
colleague. Mr. Underwood called el
Il him to affirm or deny the r*paxtN
I thar he had used such charackeRla.s
II tions. leSss5
Hobeon retorted that he hAd N441
III relied upon Senator Bant
testimony under oath thAt a.