The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
A Significant Silence


vious to the publication of the defense
that the defense was in course of prep
araton, the people of Alabama anttcipat-
ed that it would contain a sharp refuta-
ton of the charge that Captain Hobson
was unfaithful in regard to the campaign
of Capt. Frank S. White-the most sriev-
GUS charge brought against the captain
The defense" contained no reference
to that dramatic incident.
As is remembered, following his defeat
at the hands of Captain Iohson, Captain
Bankhead announced himself a candidate
for the Senate One of his opponents was
Captain White of Birmingham. Banllhead
was a local optionist: White, a prohibi-
bitionist. And in addition, Hobson, in
his race against Bankhead, had charged
his opponent with 80 grievous offenses,
and boasted that each he had secured
a conviction, and that the defendant ON
each should serve 30 years in the peniten
tiary. 1t was natural therefore, that
Hobson should lean with his support to
Captain White. He did so lean with his
support. He sent his mailing list of the
Sixth district to the Birmingham cand-
date. And then without warning, with
out a word of explanation, the captain de-
clared from Washington that the defeat
of Bankhead would be "a national ca
lamity."
The first intimation that Captain White
Captain Hobson was the publication in
The Age-Herald of Captain Hobsons re-
marBable statement. To this peculiar cpl
sode the passionate defense makes no
reference.
Other Points Ignored
The defense" Furthermore makes no
reference to the dream of organization"
INDUCED in by the captain. AS is re-
membered, he addressed communications
-, IN, nf frfa in lalau ms
outlining a plan of organization-which
organization was to be perpetual ready,
following the Senatoriai campaign, to step
into any breach. According to this plan,
one body of men was to be commissioned
to go after" the local optionists and an
other the prohibitionists. AS this plan
was outlined some months before the re-
introduction of the nationwide prohibi-
ton amendment, the natural construction
is that at that time, and before the an
nouncement of Mr.. Underwood, Captain
Hobson was preparing to go after" all
voters, possibly without involving in the
senatorial campaign the question of pro-
hibition.
And the defense makes no reference
to the fact that in one of the counties
of Alabama, one Of the captains most
valiant leaders is an attorney for the
Liquor Dealers association, that assocla-
tion which, in the words of tho captain,
is spending S5,00O,O00 in Alabama to en-
compass his defeat, spending that vast
sum, on the one hand, and on the other
furnishing its able attorney to lead his
fight in one of the counties, one of the
biggest counties, of the state.
In the beginning of this the most re-
markable campaign ever waged in Ala
bama, Hobson charged that Underwood
was a tool of the liquor interest" And
before the end friends of Hobson have in
a signed statement declared that Hobson
was prohibitionist
In the beginning Hobson told the people
of Alabama that the liquor industry must
be wiped from the face of the earth. Be-
fore the end he has told the people of
Blount county that they could make on
their own premises all the liquor they de-
sired to consume.
The difference is but an indication of
how the flight has fared." 1t is an in
dication that the Hobson phalanxes now
realize that the people of Alabama will
not listen long to a candidate seeking
office for himself, who does not hesitate
to prefer untenable charges against the
character of an opponent who does not
hesitate in a reckless attempt to deprice
an opponent Of his good name.