The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-26

No corporation or person connected herewith, has ever at any time under taken to dictate to me, or to influence me, in my attitude on any political cam- paign and they would not have suc- ceeded if they had attempted to do so.
 Sc far from the Louisville and Nash ville Railroad company taking any part 1 in this senatorial campaign, several of | it's attorneys are pronounced supporters | of Mr. Hobson. If they are engaged | in the business of interfering in mat ters of this sort, and if they have any power to control their counsel in polit- ical affairs, why is it that Captain Hob- sons campaign manager in Etowah county is the Hon. w. R. Dortch, who for 25 years has been the attorney for the Louisville and Nashville railroad and who represents other large corporate in terests? Why is his campaign in Dallas
 county being managed by Hon. H. s. D.. Mallory, now and for many years past attorney for the Louisville and Nash vile railroad? Why is the Hon. W. P. Acker of Anniston, attorney for both the Louisville and Nashville and the South ern railways, supporting MT. Hobson and acting as member of his campaign committed? If we go into the attitude of other large corporations, the number could be extended indefinitely. If there is any virtue in this pretended argument, Srd I know there is none so far as l am concerned, why is Captain Hobson's cam
 paign in Jefferson county being led to so
 large an extent by the Hon. Borden
 Burr, attorney for the Illinois Central
 railroad, the United States Steel corpora
 ten, the Republic Iron and Steel com-
 pany and other large corporations? The
 Georgia Central railroad has been en-
 gagged in the same litigation the Louis vile and Nashville. Why is the Hon.
 Henry Fitts, the division counsel for the Georgia Central and the Birmingham Waterworks, supporting MT. Hobson? Why are the attorneys of the Georgia Central railroad in Dadeville, Ala, sup porting MT. Hohson? If the corporate interests have any connection with this matter one way or the other, why is MT. Tlobsons campaign being managed by a mrlti-millionaire who made his money ont of corporations in Walker county and who is still largely interested therein?
 bring no charges against these men most of them are my friends. They have as much right to support MT. Hobson as I have MT. Underwood, but not a pa rticle more. I dare say they would be quick to resent any insinuation that eny corporation had anything to do with | their attitude on these matters and they would be equally quick to resent the suggestion that any corporation had at- tempted to influence their attitude on l these matters. I am supporting MT. Un- derwood because I believe he is the best ! fitted for the office and because he is my personal friend and for no other req sen. The fact that I have at one time | represented the Louisville and Nashville | Railroad company in court does not call I for my disfranchisement and I shall not | permit any unworthy and unjust insinu- 1 ations of this kind to deter me from do- ing my duty as I see 1t in this and l in all other campaigns.
 1 So far as MT. M. H. Smith, president of l the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company, is concerned, I am not quite l certain that he knows that MT. Hobsou ] is candidate for the Senate. do not 1 think that Captaini Hobson's supporters will know he was running the day after the primary, and the captain himself will
 be trying to forget 1t. I am very cer- | tain that neither MT. Smith, nor any 1 other representative of the Louisville and Nashville railroad has ever at any time directly or indirectly attempted to l influence me in this or in any other po- | litical issue in this state or elsewhere.
 l The latest insinuation is that my siip- port of MT. Underwood has something to do with the Luke Lea resolution tn
 investigate the Louisville and Nashville Railroad company now pending in the United States Senate. One of Senator l Lea's resolutions has already been passed and an investigation Is being held there
 under and has been in progress for sew eral months. Without the aid of that
 resolution the interstate commerce com l mission has always had ample power tc make all legitimate investigations neces- sary. If, however. Senator Lea's origi- nal resolution needs amendment, and il l the proposed amendment is wise and ex-
 i pedient I doubt not that the United
 i States Senate will adopt the same. Il l would be hard to conceive of a man SC
 l g,. 1~xo tn incl {
 l that the present Senate of the United
 States is dominated improperly in any
 way by any corporation or special in
 kerest. And 1t b worse than false to in