Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-03-30
Oscar Underwood,
Statesman, Student
and Leader.


deserved larger fame and general and cordial ad
mration than Oscar Underwood of Alabama
Since John T Morgan died in Alabama and Alexander
Stephens passed away Georgia the South has had
who genius and constructive achievement has
quaed the leader of the Democratic majority upon the
floor of the House of Representatives.
The history of the Democratic party in Congress within the
last years has been also largely the history of the Repre-
sentative from the Ninth Congressional District of Alabama
Every tariff that has been proposed adopted defeated
within that period has been largely buded largely amended
designed by his powerful advocacy criticism AS expert
upon the tariff he has equal upon the Democratic side Every
currency bill every born within that period
has felt the formative reformatv power of this master
economist and practical statesman.
The least spectacular the patient the most thorough
the determined and the popular Congress
Mr. Underwood He entered public life understand and
industrial age and his public life has been sudous
and diligent as it has been successful
The South this time that she could less
afford lose temporarily release from public life than
Mr. Underwood
Mr.. Underwood and Champ Clark working successfully
and perfect harmony led the Democratic party
out OF defeat and dsoganzaton and encouragement into
what year ago the compact united effective
triumphant majority party that postbelum politics has
known there to-day dividing wedge driven into its solid
column it the work of the dictator and his blind ar erve
followers that has wrought the chsm What Underwood and
Clark and Doremus and German have stood for everywhere
vaanty has been the American spirit expressed against
the surrender foreign and English dctaon By his
record he the leading American statesman of today He has
the indispensable aid Wilson Administration fran
ing and supporting and pushing to conclusion the tariff bill
which bears his He Vas equally vital to the construction
passage of the currency bill which does name
but part OF his genius and leadership He wiser than
all his fellows in the insertion the tariff bill stage
Of the per preferential tariff goods imported Amer
can ships which would have been the foundation of the Ame
merchant President Wilson and Secretary McAdoo
went out of their way Attorney General McReynod
kill the amendment by law after Underwood had blocked
defeated the Administration repeal it in Congress
But the quality in which Oscar Underwood of Alabama
preeminent among all conempoaneous his un
Anchng public courage of conviction which
stayed by influence personal raes the finest
and the most desirable quality American serv
ing in this era of trucking and tmeserving
In the construction of the tariff which Underwood and
his fellow Democrats presented to President Taft 1912
convictions rode successfully square into the breach against
own interests and his supporting environment of steel and
in Alabama
When William Bryan capped the climax his successive
visits of dcaton the ed Congress tell coerce
the Democratic House obedience his mandate it was
Leader Underwood who overrode his arrogant assumption
thorty and when Bryan in the very zenith his power with
his will accepted lord by his crngng party denounced
derwood The Commoner the Alabama statesman and
collected without fear hesitation Bryan upon
the floor OF Congress within few weeks Of the assembling of
the national convention which the Nebraska auocra might
exercise despoc power the Underwood candidacy
Presidency bold thing that scarcely any other
in American politics had the courage and to do
And today if Oscar Underwood mid serving
selfish Office seeker he would stand aside
and let President Wilson's of Juggenaut roughsh
over his fearless convictions of the policy and so
receive the full Presidential influence the very crisis his
campaign for the United States Senate from Alabama.
But Mr. Underwood is statesman worthy of the better days
the republic He represents Alabama represents Amer
American independence and the best American policy
of His country interests held high his
personal preferment
illustrated three great occasions in words but
in splendid deeds that HE WOULD RATHER BE RIGHT THAN
BE SENATOR FROM ALABAMA OR PRESIDENT OF THE
UNITED STATES.
Surely the great State of Alabama will nocan not-fail
send back with added power Washington this hour of
need abest and brav
one that this famous Commonwealth has contributed the