Atlanta Georgian., 1914-03-30
Oscar Underwood,
Statesman, Student
and Leader.

larger general and cordial ad
miraton than Oscar Underwood, of Alabama
Since John T. Morgan died in Alabama and Alexander
Stephens passed away Georgia the South has had states
who in genius and constructive achievement has even
equad the present leader of the Democratic majority the
floor of the House of Representatives
history the Democratic party Congress within the
years also largely the history of the Repre-
sentative the Ninth Congressional District of Alabama
Every tariff proposed adopted defeated
within period has been largely bulded largely amended
designed by his powerful advocacy criticism AS expert
upon the tariff he has equal upon the Democratic side Every
currency bill every economic born within that period
has felt the formative refomatve power of this master
economist and practical statesman.
The spectacular the patient thorough
the determined and the popular in Congress
Mr. He entered public life to understand and
industrial age and his public life has been udous
and as diligent as it has been successful
The South has this that she could less
afford lose temporarily release from public life than
Mr. Underwood
and perfect harmony have led the Democratic party Con
ges out of defeat and dsorganon and encouragement into
what year ago the compact united effective and
triumphant majority party that pOstbelum politics has
known If there to-day dividing wedge driven into its solid
column the work of the dictator and his blind erve
followers that has wrought the chism What Underwood and
Clark and Doremu and German have stood for everywhere
vaany has been the American spirit expressed against
the surrender foreign and English dctaon By his
record he the leading American statesman of to-day He has
been the indispensable aid the Wilson Administration
ing and supporting and pushing to conclusion the tariff bill
which bears his He equally vital to the construction
and passage of the currency bill which does bear
but is part Of his genius and leadership He than
all his fellows the bill the last stage
of the per preferential tariff goods imported Amer
ships which would have been the foundation of the Ame
merchant President Wilson and Secretary cAdoo
of their way Attorney General McReynods to
kill the amendment by law after Underwood had blocked
defeated the Administrations effort to repeal Congress
But the quality which Oscar Underwood of Alabama is
preemnent among all conemporaneous statesmen his
fncng public courage of conviction which
stayed by influence by personal nereth rare the finest
and the most desirable quality in American statesman
ing in this era of trucking and time serving
In the the tariff which Underwood and
his fellow Democrats presented President Taft 1912 his
convictions rode successfully square into the breach against
own interests and his supporting environment of steel and iron
in Alabama.
When William Bryan capped the climax of his
visits of dctaon to the 62d Congress to tell and
the Democratic House into obedience to his mandate
Leader Underwood who overode his arrogant assumption
thoy and Bryan in the very zenith power with
his will accepted lord by his crnging party denounced UD
derwood in The Commoner the Alabama statesman cool
collected without fear hesitation denounced Bryan upon
the floor Of Congress within few weeks of the assembling of
the national convention which the Nebraska might
exercise despo power the Underwood candidacy for the
Presidency 1t bold brave thing that scarcely any other
man American politics had the courage and conviction do
And to-day Oscar Underwood timid time serving
statesman selfish Office seeker he would stand aside
and let President Wilson's of Juggenaut roughshod
over his fearless convictions the American policy
receive the full Presidential influence in the very crisis of his
campaign for the United States Senate from Alabama.
But Mr. Underwood statesman worthy of the better days
Of the republic He represents Alabama He represents Ameri
can honor American independence and the best American policy
OF the future His counys held high his
personal preferment
He has illustrated three great occasions
IN splendid deeds that HE WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT THAN
BE SENATOR FROM ALABAMA OR PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
Surely the great State Alabama will not-can notfail
to send back added power to Washington in this hour of
need the abe rue and bvest constructive statesman
one that this famous Commonwealth has contributed to the re
public