The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-09
GOVERNOR O'NEAL
MAKES A CAUST|C
REPLY TO HOBSON
Says Own Self Respect Pre-
vents Reply Which State
ment Deserves
"THE PECKsNIF SsF
ALABAMA J 81 TICS"
Such Is Governors @ .eri4ation of
the Congressman = crates Orig
inal Belief in = Power to
Appoi, ,ator

low plane OF ScufrllouS abuse and coarse
and vulgar Language which characterize
the involved and incoherent statement is
sued by Capt. r. P. Hobson."
With these words Governor ONeal be-
gins his statement in reply to Captain
Hobson's recent attack upon him. The
governors statement is by far the most
csustic he has issued since he became
chief executive of the state. He declares
that the people of Alabama shouldA feel
deep sense of humiliation that a man
who had been honored by election to Con-
gress should 80 far forget every instinct
of gentlemanly breeding as to indulge In
language which would disgrace the lowest
and coarsest ward heeler ever reared amid
the slime and vice of the purleus of the
worst city in the land"
Governor O'Neal states that Captain
Hobson knew that he, the governor,
could not dishonor the high office he
holds and bring discredit and disgrace
upon the people of the state by making
that reply. which, had l been a private
citizen, his recent statement would have
required and received.
Brave Man or Coward?
Il submit it to the fair and candid
judgment of the people of Alabama wheth-
er it was the act of brave man or a
ccward-to grossly insult another whose
situation Mr.. Hobson knew was such that
Resentment could not follow" declares the
governors
The governor again takes up the sena-
torial question: reterating his former
charge that Captain Hobson was the first
man to approach him on the subject of
filling the vacancy, and asserting that
Judge Edward deGraffenried had inform
ed him that he (deGraffenried) had ad-
vised Mr.. Hobson not to apply for the
office
The executive commends to Captain
Iohson the words of the Divine Master
mot that which goeth into the mouth
defileth a man, but that which cometh
out of the mouth, this defileth a man."
The governor charac,erizes Mr.. Hob
son as the "Pecksniff of Alabama poll
ties" the past master in the art of bill
ingsgate," declaring that a deep sense
of public duty has compelled him more
in sorrow than in anger, to gibbet him -
My own self-respect and regard for
the usages of decent society-the dignity
of the office | hold and the opinion OF
the people of Alabama, whose eol...5s-
sior ] bear, prevent me from descending
to the low plane of scurrilous abuse and
coarse and vulgar language which char
acterize the involved and incoherent state
ment issued by Captain r. p Hobson.
i am sure that every self respecting
citizen of Alabama can but feel a deem
sense of humiliation that a man who had
been shonored by election to Congress
should so far forget every instinct of gem
tlemanly breeding as to indulge in lam
guage which would disgrace the lowest
and coarsest ward heeer ever reared amid
the slime and vice of the purlieus of the
worst city in the land
Sense of Humiliation
II am sure that this latest contribu-
tion by Captain Hobson TO the political
billngsgate of the day--''ths deckhand
political discussion will convince even
his most ardent supporters of his utter
unfitness for the high office to which he
aspires.
THE chivalry Of which he boasted. the
strict regard for the amenities of social
life and the refined and gentlenianly i'm
pulses ne claimed to possess seem to have
disappeared, and by his own hand he
has torn away the mask of hypocrisy and
false pretense under which he has SO long
raraded, and made himself a spectacle on
which his most partisan friends can btu
look with pity and contempt.
Captain Hobson knew, when he at
tempted to be insulting, that l could not
dishonor the high office | hold and bring
discredit and disgrace upon the people of
this state by making that reply. which.
had | been private citizen, his recent
statement would have required and re-
ceived.
Il submit it to the fair and candid
judgment of the people Of Alabama
whether it was the act of a brave man or
a cowardto grossly insult another whose
situation Mr.. Hobson knew was such that
resentment could not follow
Standard of Gentility
Il would be justly subject to severe
criticism II / permitted Mr. Hobson to
provoke me to a breach of the laws which
| am sworn to maintain and uphold. The
standard of gentility that controls my
public and private life, as we'll as a de-
cent regard for public opinion. prevents
me from undertaking to handy coarse
epithets with this man; but 1 will not
forego this opportunity to lay before the
people of the state certain reasons, in ad-
dition to those presented in my former
reply, on account of which he should not
be continued in public office as a repre-
sentative of the democratic party or the
people of Alabama.
HE should not be further commissioned
to represent the democratic party because
by his own record he has demonstrated
that he is disloyal to its doctrine and
principles and unworthy of its trust or
confidence.
HE draws a comparison between the
President and myself and socks to mag
Nifty into personal difference debaIe
at one of the governors conferences
where Mr.. Wilson and myself entertained
different Views / we'll remember that
at that very time Captain Hobson. who
was present, and heard what / had to
say. came up to me with hands extended
and said in substance that he was proud
(CsntanueA - Page Twe)