The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-16
HOBSON| AND. / :. !. !.
BANKHEAD TO
BATTLE AGAIN
Old Political Trouble in State Of
Alabama is Something
Like a Feud. y:

BIRMINGHAM. Ala. April 15-The
newly created Tenth district OF Ala
bama will be the scene Of q bitter po-
litical battle. the contestants being
Captain Richmond P. Hobson and Will
liam B. Bankhead. SON of United
States Senator John II. Bankhead.
Both are fiery orators. Mr.. Bankhead
got into the national limelight through
his speech at the Baltimore convention
in presenting Oscar W. Underwood's
cclaim for the nomination. Captain
Hobson, in the event Of his election.
will be dramatic leader in Congress Of
the Anti4Saloon Leagues fight for ma
tfonwide prohibition through consti-
tutional amendment. f,e7 :
Captain Hobson has moved his legal
residence from Greensboro in the old
Sixth district, which he represented
in Congress, to Jasper, the residence
OF HIS opponent in the new Tenth,
which includes five Of the counties
that were in the old Sixth. Already
charges Of "carpetbaggism" against
Hobson are being made in the district
on the ground that the Tenth district
is not his home. Hobson contends
that the territory Of the new district
is not only his old home district, but
that Eve Of the seven counties COM
posing 1t gave him a handsome ma
jority in his recent race for senator.
Both for Prohibition.
Both Hobson and Bankhead are
openly for nationwide prohibition, but
Hobson is the pet Of the knti-Saloon
League.
When Hobson asked to be put on
the navy retired list because Of eye
trouble John H. Bankhead, then in
the House, opposed It and succeeded
in killing 1t. L. B. Musgrove, million
aire coal operator Of Walker county,
who as a boy was befriended by Hob
sons father and never forgot 1t, took
up the cause OF the Merrinac hero.
Get out, Dick, and beat the old
man for Congress- he urged. "You
can do it. I'll stand by you till the
COWS come home"
Hobson went into the race against
the elder Bankhead. and Musgrove Is
said to have backed him to the extent
of $4,000. The result was that Bank
head, veteran politician, in Office for
twenty years and an ex-Confederate
officer barely retained his seat.
Neither Hobson nor Musgrove was
discouraged Musgrove is reported
to have sent Hobson to a school Of
oratory in Boston as a preliminary.
for another campaign. When Hobson
returned for speech Musgrove was
quoted as saying: Wen getsthe old
mans goat this time" ys3s-cf.f :.
And they did. Hobsoni took the.
stump and flung out whirlwindS Of
sarcasm and vituperation. and the eld-
er Bankhead was badly defeated.
: A Sort Of Feud.
The bitterness then engendered be-
tween Hobson and the Bankheads has
grown ever since. and friends of the
two families have entered into It in q
way suggesting at least mild feud.
After the elder Bankhead got into
the Senate his son began to nurse po-
litical aspirations. So. when the sem
ator assumed the management OF I'm
derwood's campaign for the preslden-
tial nomination the younger Bank
head was chosen to make the big I'm
derwood speech. When Hobson re-
tired as congressman from the Sixth
district the younger Bankhead en-
tered the race to succeed him. But
W. 3. Oliver, Tuscaloosa lawyer,
beat him. Then came another OPEN
ing under the redistribution Of the state.
when the Tenth district was created.
In 1t the Bankheads have strong per-
sonal following, and II has been
charged that through the elder Bank
heads influence the legislature was
induced to SO outline the new district
as to work matters ont for the young
er Bankhead's congressional hopes.