The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-22
This Is Prediction Made by F. A. Hewitt, Underwood
 County Manager
THE CAPTAIN HAS
 PARED BADLY HERE
Poll of Officers of Eight Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian Churches Gives Underwood l34, Hobson
 d3, Noncommittal 6

That Oscar ". Underwood will carry Jefferson county by to 1 vote was the prediction yesterday of Frank A. Hewitt, county manager for the democratic House leader.
 The manager after hard work for sev- eral months and after a close study Of the situation as it is presented by each beat states that in his opinion the county will poll in round numbers 15,000 votes
 "of this. number he said. "Mr. un- derwood will secure 10000, which will give him a net majority of 5000
 Mir. Hewitt is considered one of the best advised men in the county in regard to conditions in the county. He has lived here practically all his life and knows the people in every beat. There is a great deal of significance, therefore, it Is ar sued, to be attached to whatever he says. He has not previously spoke through the press in the campaign.
 Mir. Hewitt Talks
 Tt is an interesting fact said MT. Hewitt. that there is no body of men in this county which is for Hobson Thef c are individuals. They move as stray sheep. The captain cannot claim any cer- tain vote. I have heard some of his rabid followers declare, first, that he would carry Jefferson county, and, sec ond. that he would receive the church vote. The first assertion was so ridicu- lous that no one has paid it serious at tention. No leader in the Hobson camp is so foolhardy as seriously to claim Jef- ferson. As regards the second assertion, that concerning the church vote, 1 have a story to tell. l did not believe that the claim was true, that it could be substan- tiated by fact Therefore l investigated.
 Tn the first place, l took a poll of boards of stewards and deacons. 1 knew that the result of this poll would indicate the real situation. The poll touched only on the dcacons and stewards of the Bap- lists. Methodists and Presbytenar churches. I knew in advance that tho members of Episcopal, Catholic and Jew ish churches would give MT. Underwood more than 90 per cent of tlieir votes.
 The Church Vote
 q found as a result of the poll that in eight churches there are 1S6 officers stewards and deaeons.
 oI lildl llufnDeft SIX, when uueStlOileu, were non-commltal and three stated that they were republicans. Of the remainder, the vote was as follows
 For Underwood, 13i
 For Hobson, 43
 'The significance of this vote can be appreciated when it is remembered that the poll was made of the officers of eight representative Baptist. Methodist and Presbyterian churches. The indications are that of the total membership of all churches in Jefferson county, Mr. Under wood will receive about D per cent of the vote.
 Tt is evident that the captain has Jared badly in Jefferson. He has conducted a campaign which for incorporate utter ances has never been duplicated. He has assidiously endeavored to prove that every man for Underwood is a crook. a liar q thief, selfish and indecent pol itician-all against cleanliness in personal and governmental affairs. He has assid1- ously endeavored to prove that his voters were better than ordinary men. and that about the head of each, hung a halo. He has endeavored to prove that await ing each in the kingdom to come was a golden harp. a linen robe, and q silver spoon with which to dip into the ever lasting streams of milk and honey,
 Intelligence in Jefferson
 
 that the people of Jefferson county are intelligent He has found that his smooth ness of tongue has not beguiled. He has found that his dramatic power has not shaken the citizens from their men tai balance. As a result, he will suffer a crushing, a hunliatIng defeat in Jeff ferson county and judge, in every other section of the state.
 ..The people of Jefferson have known Mr. Underwood for 20 years. They know that he is clean in thought and action. They know that he represents, leads the militant democracy of America, that he is the close friend and trusted lieutenant of the good President of the United States. They know, on the other hand, that Hobsons recl<lessness of speech. his peculiarly weak and inconse- quential service in Congress, his perpetual and startling indifference to and neglect of duty for which he shameessly draws his monthly stipend-they know that all this and more are nothing other than the frantic performances of an individual who would hesitate to perform no deed, to say no word, to scale no height of absurdity in his attempt to life himself