The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-11-07
THEY ALL ESTEEM UNDERWOOD

SlDll1Cy, the 1rlenuS OI huSCIe pHOdlS would do we'll to cultivate his purpose. 
 THEY ALL ESTEEM UNDERWOOD
 While admiring Senator Underwood's 3 frank demand that the South be given the Democratic presidential candidacy, the independent Springfield Republi- can disagrees with the opinion that failure in the past to nominate a Southern Democrat has been due to sectional prejudice. Says the Repub- lican: "It is an error to assume that the South has been excluded from nomination for the presidency because of the secession of 1861 and the war which it precipitated. The Demo- cratic party has refrained from nomi- mating Southern men for the presi- dency because it could depend upon the votes of a solid South under any circumstances whatever. The party has consistently taken it's standard bearer, therefore, from the North be- cause only in the North were there doubtful states" Which seems to be only another way Of saying what MT. Underwood has said, for what caused those states to be doubtful if the se- lection of a Northern man could win them?
 Nonetheless, the sectional line which has divided the eligible from the non eligible to this great political distinc- tion of being nominated as the stand ard bearer of Democracy should be wiped out. There are able men in the South and there always have been able men in the South, as history so abundantly attests. Undoubtedly the election of a president who under stands the South and it's needs would be of great benefit to it's prosperity without prejudice also to legitimate development throughout the nation. A man from the South, if he be statesman, is just as apt to have nationwide perspective as a man from any other section. Indeed, he is more apt, because the South has been ac- customed to witnessing national en- deavors that have in the past almost scrupulously passed the South by until within the last decade when a more liberal view has penetrated the na- tionsl government and the national congress. That liberality and breadth of view have distinguished MT. Under woods entire public career.
 The Republican, however, is fair 70 MT. Underwood, as witness: 'It is to be deplored that such conditions han dicap a Democrat of MT. Underwood's exceptional qualifications for the pres idency. We may be out of sympathy with his views on some important is- sues, yet he has solid attainments as statesman and as an economist long experience as a leader in both branches of congress, universal re- spect for his intellectual qualities, rare emotional boise and control, and an intimate knowledge of how the American people manage to govern themselves through the processes of constitutional division of powers. Here is highly trained man in the zenith of his career entitled to ask for the highest responsibilities that come to the statesman in America" The friendliness of The Republican towards MT. Underwood, in spite of differences of political opinion, is tribute to Alabama's candidate which most newspapers, even Republican, accord to him. If any man from the South is endowed with the qualities to enable him to break the ice of political custom, prejudice and sectionalism, Underwood is surely that man.