The Nome nugget., 1929-01-26
SENATOR OSCAR w.
 UNDERWOOD DEAD

Former Senator, Oscar W. Under wood of Alabama, died at his home at eleven fifteen this morning. Mfr. Underwood suffered from a cere- bral hemorage early in December, and later in the month by paraly- sis. He recovered for a time but a few days ago he had a relapse. He is servived by a widow, Bertha Woodward Underwood, and two -sons. Oscar Underwood Jr., of Washington and Lewis Underwood. of Bermingham.
 One of the towering figures in Congress during his day, Oscar w. Underwood attained national pro- minence through unusual qualities of statesmanship and a marked capacity as leader.
 Concededly one of the ablest men of his party. his name was brought forward repeatedly for the Democratic Presidential nom- [ i ies were regarded as barring the way despite the fact that he re- ceived much of his support from the North and East. Although born in Kentucky and reared in the Northwest. he was wholly as- sociated with the South since all his public service had been as a representative and Senator from Alabama.
 | Unlike those of some of his con- temporaries, his career was mark l ed by little of sensationalism but his long public life nevertheless was not wholly without it's drama | tic moments. He was the first of the young Democrats to break lances with William Jennings Bryan when the Commoner still 1 was commanding force in the councils of the party Their diff {, ferences arose ovfr the Under wood tariff, and the stand taken by Mir Underwood required courage which again was demon- strated few years later when in 1 the then prohibition South he met and vanished for the Senate Rich mond Pearson Hobson, a leader of the dry cause and a national hero I of Merrimac fame.
 i The Senator's friends declared it was this same courage that led him to publicly denounce the Ku Klux Klan in 1924 when he was seeking the Presidential nomina- tion.
 After 20 years in the House, he moved over to the Senate. His fame had preceded him and with the death of Senator Thomas Mar tin of Virginia, he was chosen Democratic leader, a place he held until 1921.
 Entering Congress in the days of iron rule of Republican speak CTS, Underwood had part in breaking the power of Uncle Joe" Cannon and later in liberalizing the rules of the House. By his industry and energy he had gained a placs on the Judiciary Commit tee and later served on the Ways and Means Appropriations Com mittees, two of the most powerful of the House
 Under the Underwood leader ship were enacted also the Federal Reserve Act, the Farm Loan Act, the Clayton Antitrust Act and all the others in the long list of legis- lation that went to the statute books during the first four, or peace years" of the Wi!scn ad- ministration.
 Born at Louisville. Ky, May G.. 1862, the son of lawyer. Mir. unaarwocd spent his early life on the frontier state of Minnesota. His family moved there when he was three years old, travelling up the frozen Mississippi into St. Paul on sledges. St. Paul was mili- tary outpost and throughout Un- derwood's boyhood the streets were filled with Indians.
 Taking up his residence in Bir- mingham. Underwood devoted him self to the practice of law for ten years before offering for Congress. Meantime ha had married Mias