The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-16
Adherents of Both I'm
derwood and Hobson
Are Claiming Victory.
BATTLE HAS BEEN
SPECTACULAR
Underwood Concludes Personal
Campaign and Leaves His In
terests in Hands of Friends,
While Opponent Contin-
ues Attacks-State-Wide
Prohibition Involved.

Montgomert. Ala, February L. The
seven months fight between oscar w.
Underwood majority leader Of the na :
tionai House OF Representatives. and
Congressman Richmond Pearson Hob
son for the Alabama vacancy in the
United States Senate is drawing. to a
close The deciding votes in cam
paign that has attracted nation wide
interest will be east at the Democratic,
primaries to be held April {. The ac-
tual election of a Senator will not take
place until November l. but that will
be merely ratification Of the choice
made at the primary polls.
MIR. Underwood has announced from
Washington that so far as personal
participation is concerned, his cam
paiSn for a seat in the upper house Of
/ Congress already has ended. Repre-
sentative Hobson. on The other hand
is carrying forward the personal cam
paisn he has been waginS for many
months, during which time he has
spoken in nearly every county in the
state.
Counter CInims Mnde
The political adherents OF the two
DISTINGUISHED candidates are daily max
ing counter claims OF victory Careful
observers, however, are inclined to
await the casting of the ballots before
attempting TO name the successful as
pirant TO the seat occupied by the late
senator Joseph f. Johnston.
! Mr.. IIobson, once striking figure in
! the navy, and the hero of the Santiago
! blockade, resigned from the service
shortly after the Spanish war in order
TO undertake political career. He
was quickly elected to the House oil
Representatives in Washington, ant
has served several successive terms
His eyes long ago. however. were fixet
upon the Senate. and he Is now finish
| ing n painstaking campaign to realiz,
that ambition.
Whatever advantage may accrue from
| actual presence in the thick of the tich
practically from beginning to end, rest.
with Mr.. Hobson.
Charge of Abscnteeism.
Friends of Mr.. Underwood. however
have used the campaign activities OF
NIr. IIobson az basis for charges OF
habituai absenteeism from his duties
| in Washington. One of these friends
w. III. Parker. in his capacity as n citi-
zen and taxpayer, recently filed pro-
test against M-. Hohson receiving his
pay as a Congressman during the Pc
riod he has been away from Washing
ton.
Mr.. Underwood spent his Christmas
holidays In Alabama making brief
but vigorous speaking tour. He COW
cred as much ground as the limited ne
riod of the holiday recess permitted
md then announced that he must re-
! turn to his place I'm the House, leavinc
his campaign In the hands OF his fol
lowers.
Tvpical Of all latter-dav nolit'c,'
fights in the South. the Hobson-Un-
dcrwood campaign has been more OF
less involved with %the question oi
Statewide prohibition. Mr.. Hobsor
has charged his opponent with having
been influenced by the liquor inter.
ests" He also has charged that cor
poration influence was behind the carl-
paign of MIR. Underwood for the presi-
Dental nomination in 1912. All OF
these charges have been denied by Mr.
Underwood,
\ short time ago there was pros
Pect of several Joint debates between
the two candidates. and the state was
etcatly excited over the prospect. Mr.
Iobson has issued repeated challenges
from the stump. but Mir. Underwood
announced that he could not indulge
III any such campaign. in view OF the
demands made upon him I'm Washing
ton.
Warm Fight for Governor.
The senatorshp fight also is involved
more or less with the race for Gov
ernor OF the State. which likewise will
be decided AZ the April primaries
There are Ave gubernatorial candidates
in the field. and the campaign has been
more bitter than that waged by the
llobson Underwood followers.
Ex-Governor e. r. Conner claims to
De making the race for Governor
against the rest of the field. Ii will
be necessary for the successful can
didate 10 obtain majority of the
votes cast in the primary. The large
number OF candidates in the field
makes it doubtful if this can he accom-
plishcd. despite the claims of the va.
rlous campaign managers.
Realizing this condition of Affairs,
tho Democratic State COMMITTEES hns
| arranged for a second primary, if nee
essary. to decide between the two can
didates for Governor receiving the
highest number Of votes at the first
! balloting
| I'm addition to former Governor
| Conner those who seek the nomination
for Governor are: Walter ID. Seed.
| Tuscaloosa, now Lieutenant Governor:
| r. f. Koib, Montgomery, State. Com
missioner of Agriculture and Indus-
tries; Charles Henderson, Troy, presi-
dent OF the State Railroad Commits
| sion, and John III. Wallace, Jr.. Hunts