Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-03-31
CAMPAIGN i OF
ALABAMA IS
NEARING END
B,s Been One Of the Most
Exciting Campaigns 10 Ills.
tory Of State


he longest and most exciting political
campaign in the history of Alabama
is near its close. One week from to-
day the Democratic primaries will be
held for the nomination of candi.
dates for the United States senator
for the six-year term, beginning
March 4, 1915; for United States Sen.
ator to fill the unexpired term Of the
late Joseph F. Johnston, for repres.
~entaeiyas from each Of the nine Con.
%gressional districts, from governor
and other state officers, judges of the
Supreme Court and court of appeals
and members of the legislature.
The candidates nominated in the pr.
maries will be voted for in November
Nomination on the Democratic
ticket in Alabama is regarded as
equivalent to election. &7-5
The contest fer the long.t5rm sen.
atorship has almost overshadowed
the other features of the campaign.
In this contest Oscar W. Underwood,
the Democratic leader in the national
house Of representatives, is pitted
against Captain Richmond Pearson
Hobson, now representing the Sixth
Congressional district Of Alabama.
Seldom in the history of American
politics has there been a more re-
markable campaign for the United
States senate, between two contes.
tants Of national: interest, represent.
ing wholly opposite traditions and
theories of government. l"#
HobsOn's strength lies largely in
his success as a cdmpaigner. With
q realization Of this fact he has been
industrially stumping the state for
many, weeks past, covering much
ground making many speeches and
ar0using considerable enthusiasm
among the rurd]ites. He has made
prohibition the leading issue of his
campaign, supplementi1g it with at.
tacks on his opponent as the repres
entative of Wall street. =
Throughout practically the whole
of the campaign Mr.. Underwood has
remained in Washington. He has
p~ersistently declined to take the
stump, leaving the direction OF. his
campaign to his friends at hons,
During the congressional holiday he
returned to Alabama and delivered
ione or two public speeches in which
he defined his views Oil the liquor
question. He referred to his record
~ Congress for the proof of the fact
that he had advocated a prohibition
amendment to the constitution,
though he believed that in the val.
ious states more practical and sat-
isfactory results could be obtained
through local option, with the county
as q unit.
The success or failure of Mr.. I'm.
derwood in the senatorial campaign
Ia expected to have a more or less
important bearing on national poll
tics. The Democratic leader in the
aHcuse and the Trainer of the tariff
bill which bears his. name is gener
ally regarded as the first man from
q southern state since the Civil Wal
who has been within. striking dis
lance of the presidency. His friends
believe that If he is elected to the
senate he will eventual become a
candidate for the presidency of the
United States.
There are several candidates in the
neld for the ,short-term s~enatorship
put as the successful one will have
less than . year to serve the contest
is attracting comparatively little at.
tentfOn. NQ9r 1v all of +ho rro,..
Iesentatlves in congress have oppos.
1tion 1or denomination, but the indi.
cations are that most of them will
be returned.
Even more bitter than the Hob
son-Underwood contest is the battle
1or the governorship. The question
Of statewide prohibition, the policy
o. the state railroad commission ant