New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-14
UNDERWOOD BITTERLY
ATTACKED BY HOBSON
Wou|d-Be Alabama Senator
Declares Rival Tool of Wall
Street and Liquor Men.
LEADER DEFIES COLLEAGUE
Standing Only Six Feet Apart,
the Representatives Stir the
House with Their Hot
War of Words.
From The Tribune Bureau. |

! From The Tribune Bureau1
/ Washington, oct. 1S.-Standng only six
| feet apart, Representatives Underwood
and Hobson, rival candidates for the Sen
ate in Alabama. staged a sensational
/ Joint debate to-day which brought to a
| head the bitterness of campaign in
which Mr.. Hobson charges that Mr.. I'm
! derwod Is the tool Of Wall Street and
/ the tool of the liquor interests"
| Mr. Underwood. usually calm and ur-
bane, defed Mr.. Hobson with all the
dramatic force he possessed, Ito find one
+ blot upon my privat, or official lie
The names OF President Wilson Secre-
! tary Bryan. Judson Harmon. Thomas +.
/ Ryan and Senator Bankhead were
dragged into the discussion. The ma
/ jority leader challenged Mr.. Hobson TO
/ get the President TO say that he (Un-
derwood was the tool OF any interest. "r
! TO get an expression from Mr.. Bryan now
/ similar To that which The Commoner'
made last year-that Underwood was
''the tool of Wall Street"
The latter challenge Mr.. Hobson prac-
/ tiCally accepted.
The debate grew out Of Mr.. Hobson's
answer to recent speech in which Rep
resentative Donovan. of Connecticut, ac-
cused Mr.. Hobson Of habitual absence
! frcm the House.
Prepared for Trouble.
The situation was so tense that the
chief clerk of the House, Jerry South.
went on the floor and took a seat be-
! tween the two Alabama Representatives.
| When MIR. South had TO leave the cham
Der he called 10 his seat Representative
| Daughton. Of North Carolina. robust
member more than six feet tall. II was
1 also noted that the sergeant at arms sat
with the mace in reach during the affair.
; The majority of the Democrats of tho
House we're evidently with MI Under
wood. but this did not feaze the hero
! of the Morrimac" At times the scenes
were almost riotous. members waving
( their arms and cheering Mir. Underwood.
| Once. when Mr. IobSCn insisted on in
terrupting the majority leader. his col
/ leagues yelled. shut up, SIT down"
! Mr. Underwood received an ovation when
he declared: II am the tool OF no inter
est My record Is open. ! want to say
/ that so far as / am personally concerned,
10 matter how much mud the gentleman
may sling at me during the coming cam
raign. / do not intend TO become involved
7 in such a controversy. ! welcome a legit-
in ate criticism OF my record. and / snail
make legitimate criticism OF his record.
But no matter what he may say | can
. 4 .agura h,,,, no rupunt nroyoke fpf. a vale
into the mire Of dirty politics"
After explaining that his absenteeism
had not prevented his vote on the two
great measures of the session-the tarin
and currency blls-Mr. HobsCn read
| newspaper article asking how he could
] have supported Mr. CnderW God for the
Presidency II he knew he was the tool Of
the interests. and an editorial from The
/ Commoner" in which MI Bryan called
both Mr.. Underwood and Mr. Harmon
/ wall Street candidates and reaction
/ aries" Next Mr. Hobson read Senator
/ Bankheads testimony before the Clapp
/ committee that Mi Underwoods cam
| paign received d 5000 contribution from
/ Thomas r. Ryan
Cries False Pretences."
Mr. Speaker" the angry Alabamiau
! exclaimed, my support and the support
of the loyal Democrats and the progress
sive citizens of Alabama was obtained
under false pretences. Had known that
I Thomas Fortune Ryan. the man whom
Mr.. Bryan rebukcd by name at the Bal
timore convention and accused of being
the tool of Wall Street and Of trying TO
capture the party. was financing the
major part of Oscar Underwood cam
paign, not only would | not have sup
ported him, but would have fought him,
and, what is more he never would have
been the choice of the people OF Alabama.
THE support of the people Of Alabama
was secured for Mr. Underwood for the
Presidency under false pretences. | here
declare that their support of him for the
United States Senate shall not be OBJ
tanned similarly under false pretences.
When Mr.. Underwood allowed the con
ferrees of the tariff bill to strike out the
Pomereen brandy tax amendment. Mr..
Hobson asserted, he had put millions
into the pockets OF the liquor ring" and
had cost the government that much rev.
enue.
ton. declaring that If his opponent had
been In his seat he would have known
of the negotiations in conference and
that the amendment was so drawn that
il would bring about impure wines and
violations OF the pure food law. Mr. Tn
derwood said he had promised to hear
both sides and take up this Legislation
next session.
Never Tool, Says Underwood.
/ During my eighteen years of service
in this House" said Mr.. Underwood. II
have left the House but five times. eX-
cept in recess or partial recess--once on
account Of a death in my family and the
other four times on account of sickness.
There is no record vote that has been
lodged by me. IL | have been the tool
of Wall Street or any other interest.
then the Democratic party has also been
! q tool. because my record is that OF the