The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-20

Went out, in unstinted measure. to the
man he had unwisely attacked.
montgomery Advertiser That the vitu-
perative attacks by Capt Richmond p
Hobson in Alabama and during the un-
fortunate scene which he precipitated in
the House, drove away some of his best
friends, has become such an accepted fact
that no man denies it. II Is. too, the
manifest purpose of Captain Hobson to
cling desperately to the prohibition issue.
as forlorn hope for his election; he pa
raded that issue in Alabama and he
dragged it out for juggling exhibition
in the House.
Now comes Mr.. John W. sibley of Bir-
mlngham, regarded throughout the state
as one of the leading statewide prohibi-
tionists In Alabama, man who has had
an important post in every fight made
by the prohibitionists since the issue was
forced in Alabama, to say in the Bir-.
ifiingham Age-Herald, 'Hobson's accusa-
tions against Underwood, that he is tho
tool of the whisky interests are so ut
terly without foundation, in fact, as -
convince me that a man who would Sc
as reckless In his aspersions is absolutesy
unworthy to occupy the exalted position
of United Statesasenator. regret to see
that his lust for office has spoiled the
force and usefulness OF his career Mr..
Hobson has been ON the right side as |
view 1t, SO long on all matters pertaining
to civic righteousness that l hate to see
him besmirch his eseutcheon by mud
singing against a man whose record is
spotless. Aside from this incident, / am
for Underwood, first last and all the time,
for any office to which he may aspire.
but in order that my host of prohibition
friends and fellow citizens may not be
led astray by this foul attack of Hobson,
wish to say that Underwood has al
ways been fair and real friend of tenn
perance."
If Mr.. Hobson cannot command the
support of the leaders OF the movement
for statewide prohibition. he is indeed un-
done. 1t is difficult to understand how
the fate of local option and statewide
prohibition can depend upon the election
of a senator who win have nothing what
ever to do with the settlement of the
question. It's next adjustment will be-
made by the governor and the legislature;
in the campaign for the election of a
governor and members of the legislature
it has already been injected by the state
wide element.
The issue In the senatorial campaign is
the fitness of. Oscar Underwood for the
position of United States senator and the
fitness of Richmond Pearson Hobson for
that responsible honor Captain Hobson
may seek to dodge the ISSUE but that is
the issue upon which the level-headed
people of Alabama will elect Underwood
to the Senate. The purpose of Mr. Hob
sons vituperative attack was to appeal
to prejudice, for opposition to Mr.. I'M
derwood's candidacy; but its result has
been to show that Captain Hobson and
not Mr.. Underwood is the unfit man for
the place.
Baltimore Sun: The dignity with which
Mr. Underwood met the attack of Mr..
Hobson and the conclusiveness of his re-
ply were admirable. Only man who
had lost his head would have made such
a charge against him., II he had not made
himself offensive, Hobson would have
made himself ridiculous by venting in
Congress his personal feeling against his
opponent for the senatorship. Perhaps it
was the resentment of candidate who
felt he had been put out of the running
Certainly 1t was an instance of bad taste
IN dragging the local politics Of Alabama
into the House. But It gave his fellow
members the opportunity for an exhibition
of their confidence in Underwood and ad-
miration for him that must have been
very gratifying to the man who has LED
them in the fight for tariff and curreuGo
reform.
Mr.. underwood's course ain Congress
speaks for itself. Few men in public life
are further removed from the suspicion
that they are or could be the tools of
Wall street, the liquor men or any other
interest He met the statement that
Ryan had contributed to his presidential
campaign with the frankness that charac-
terises the man who has nothing to con-
ceal.
1t will be surprise If his own con-
stituents do not resent at the polls the at
tack on the man who has brought Ala
bama to a front place in the national
counsels and reflected honor upon his
state