The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-08
Will Spend Present Week in
the Counties of North
Alabama
EVEN FRIENDS NOW
CONCEDE DEFEAT
Question of Most Interest Is Size of
the Underwood Majority-Voters
Resent Hobson Cam
paign Tactics
by HUGH w. ROBERTS

If press dispatches are to be relied
upon. r. p. Hobson, after spending a
week in Washington-where he at
tanned considerable notorety as the re-
suit OF an alteration in regard to his
salary check, and in a more or less sue
cessful effort to crimp the ambition
of young man who desired to serve
as postmaster at Tuscaloosa-is re-
turning post haste to Alabama.
His series of trenchant diatribes, oy
which he hopes to acquire a seat in the
Senate of the United States, will he
resumed He opens tomorrow in Frank
lin county, and from there will move
over to Limestone. 1t is understood
that he will remain on Alabama soil
for the remainder of the campaign with
the exception of a monthly visit to the
nations capital.
Mr.. Underwood, candidate for tile
Senate, has been in Washington since
the beginning of the present session.
Inasmuch as he considers it his duty
to remain in Congress where he is paid
to remain, and where there is an oppor-
tunity to serve his people through the
enactment of important legislation, it
is considered probable that he will not
return save for the purpose of cast
ing his vote, April 6. He has stated that
the success of the administration OF
President Wilson and the vindication Of
the democratic party were, in his opin-
ion of greater Importance than his
election to the Senate.
H0bson Doomed Man
Mr.. iiobson, it is said will bring with
him new information" Up to the pres
ent time his "information'' has done
him little credit. He has charged that
Mr. Underwood was ID dummy" a
tool" of Wall street, "reactionary"
an enemy to the common people, a
whisky man. He has charged that Mr.
Underwood took the republican tax off
liquor and put it on the bagging and
ties of the farmer These and other
grave allegations has he brought.
And yet the people of the state have
remained firm. They were determined
last october to send Mr., Underwood to
the Senate. After the holidays, every
well posted man in Alabama was aware
that Mr. Underwood would win. When
C. s. Hamlin, Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury signed a statement that as
a result of the Underwood tariff bill
cotton bagging and ties are now being
admitted free of duty, every man well
posted knew that Mr.. Underwood would
win by landslide.
During the past week the legs have
fallen from under the Hobson sup
porters. Their gloom could have been
cut with knife. They are now as cer-
tain--in their hearts-that Hobson is
doomed as are the supporters of Mr..
Underwood They contend that Mr. I'm
derwood's majority will not be as large
as his partisans contend. But they do
not declare their belief that there will
be no Underwood majority.
MIR Hobson's record in Congress
compared to that of Mr. Underwood
would have defeated him. His charges
which he could not prove have served
to make his defeat overwhelming. His
apparent disregard of duty in remain
ing in Alabama while Congress Is in
session and while all his Alabama col
leagues with opposition in their dis
tricts are remaining staunch on the fir
ing line and the duty line. has
served to guarantee that his defeat
will be humiliating. The manner in
which his supporters have lost heart
has served to knock the legs from un-
der his leutenants
Specializing on Majority
The speculation in Alabama at the
Present time is not in regard to the
result, because it is the consensus Of
opinion that the result was foreor-
dained. The speculation is in regard to
the majority by which Mr.. Underwood
win win.
The supporters of Captain Hobson
are contending that Mr.. Underwood
will carry the state by no greater ma
jority than 10000.
he nf IL, Tndn 20
Contending that his majority will be
$4,000 as a minimum.
The indications are that Mr.. Under
wood will carry nearly all of the coun l.
ties of the state. practically all save
chose of the Sixth district. The Third
district and the Sixth district are ap-
parent1y close. 1t is considered prob
able that Mr.. Underwood's majority in
The Third will be about 1000 and that
Mr. Hobson's majority in the Sixth
viii be about 1000.
The remaining districts will go for
Mr.. Underwood, it is predicted general
| L.. by majorities ranging from $500 to
75c0.
The GubernatOrial Situation
With the senatorial fight practically
sottled. interest is veering again to
the gubernatorial campaign. The de-
volopment of the past three weeks has
| Charles Henderson. The consensus of
/ opinion now seems to be that the
struggle for the remainder of the cam
paign will be between Mr. Conner and
Mr.. Henderson. 1t is a safe prediction
| tnat there will be double primary
with Mr.. Conner and Mr.. Henderson
| leading in the first.
| r'he Conner forces have begun re-
newed activity. Conner papers in south
! Alabama are urging eternal watchful
ness" Mr.. Conner himself will begin a
sDe eaking tour this week. He speaks in
Jasper tomorrow. Mr.. Henderson will
i continue his campaign in eastern Ala
bama. Mr.. Wallace, another candidate
has prepared his weeks itinerary. Cap
tain Kolb on Thursday will begin a
speaking campaign in jefferson coun-
! ty. Mr.. Seed still another candidate
Will deliver an address tomorrow.
| Mr. Wallace's itinerary includes ad-
dresses at Jasper, Tuscaloosa. Eutaw
ana Livingston. all of the Sixth dis
J triCt.