The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-10-18
CHARGES HIM WITH BENZ:
DUMMY ALLIED TO WALL
STREET AND LIQUOR
INTERESTS.
Underwood Replies and l. LustiIy APP
piaudcd by Fellow Members of
Housc-Dcnics Charges Made
Against Him and Points out Coun-
ter Charges lac Could Make Against
Hobson--Iiow Creates Interest I'm
House.

Aipama ana MS colleague, Majority
Leader Underwood. today engaged in
n bitter debate on the floor of the
house over the senatorial contest i'm
their State, i'm which they are rival
candidates. The oratorical duel was
prccipitated by Mr.. Hobson reiterat-
Ing utterances ne made last week in
u speech at Wctumpka. Ala, intlmat-
ing that Mr.. Underwood was "thc
tool of Wall street and the liquor in
ferests' and charging that he had
gained Alabama's support in the last
presidential campaign through false
pretenses.
speaking to a question of persona!
privilege I'm answer to charge of
'absenteeism" made against him last
week by Representative Donovan Of
Connecticut. Mr.. Hobson had devoted
an hour To an explanation OF his rec
ord In congress. Then he declared
that In the campaign for the senate
the Alabama party leaders had look.
ed for a man to beat him and that
the liquor interests were behind every
effort to defeat him. Discussing his
recent speech and the comment that
he was a supporter Of Underwood for
the Democratic presidential nomina-
ton, Represnetativ Hobson assert
ed he did not know at that time that
Thomas Fortune Ryan had contribu-
ted $4,000 to the Underwood cam
paign and that the people of Ala.
bama did not know IL.
Mr.. Underwood declared when he
took the floor that nc had not wanted
To DC candidate for president; that
he had consented upon the basis that
he should remain at his place i'm the
house framing a tariff law upon which
the party could base it's campaign, and
that he had nothing to do with the
management of it, thai being under
taken by Senator Banl<head. Later,
he said, ne learned that Mr.. Ryan
had contributed to his campaign sole
ly because he was Southern man,
and he suggested that Mr.. Hobson did
not accuse Theodore Roosevelt or
President Wilson of being tools of the
Interests because of wealth contrib
uted To their campaigns.
When challenged by Mr.. Under
wood as to his exact charges. MIR.
Hobson stated that he had said to
the people of Alabama that Under
wood was IA dummy used by his
managers I'm the interests OF Wall
street" and that if you were n dunn
my. then you could be used again by
the liquor interests or any other in
terest."
said To the people OF Alabama"
he said. that the gentleman (Mr. I'm
derwOodD Is simply the type of poll
tician that had reigned but is to be
dethroncd, type that plays tho
game and allows To come into the
game agencies that help To win. With
out reflection on his moral integrity
or his character. 1 make that state
ment."
Mr.. Underwood detailed his record
of is years in congress, challenging
any one to prove that he ever had
voted for anything but the best inter-
ests of his constituents.
mo man ami no interest. however
great or important" he declared,
has ever used me as a tool or "a
dummy. i have Just returned To the
house great trust placed I'm my
hands that In years gone by has been
subject To those influences referred To
here and yet | challenge the gentle
man from Alabama or any other man
here To show that any influence has
been used I'm my administration Of.
that trust"
Answering the charge that ne was
favorable To the liquor interests, MIR.
Underwood told Of how nc had sup
ported and voted at the last session
Tor the anti-shipping liquor bill which
the liquor interests did all i'm their
power To- Kill.
III have been the tool of Wah
street or the liquor interests then the
Democratic party has been, because
my record * the record of the Demo
crate party In Is years OF service"
Mr. Underwood said that the people
of the Southern states who supported
him at Baltimore would not have
been ashamed IL he had been nomi-
mated or elected. "tt was not cam
paisn contribution they were support
Ing" he declared
Had l known" shouted IIohson.
that Thumas Fortune RYAN. tho man