The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-24

the Board Of Aldermen, and caused to
be constructed the present ire alarm
system of the city. During the same
year he was chosen chairman of the
County Democratic Executive Commit
tee and. although at the preceding cleo
ton the adverse majority was LOO
against the Democratic party, ut this
election half the Democratic ticket was
elected This surprising result was due
almost entirely to the personal efforts
Of the chairman. He was elected del
egate TO the National Democratic Com
yentlon held at st. Louis in 1888. and
was chairman OF The committee on rules
In 1S.i2 he was seat rs delegate from
the State ut large to the National Dem
ocratic Convention held at Chicago,
where he vigorously fought the nominal
ton OF Mr.. Cleveland for President.
He was unanimously elected in 1890
Chairman Of the State Democratic Elk
eeutive Committee. though less than
thrty-tWo years of age, and had charge
Of the campaign, when the fight was
made against Governor Vance for re-
election 10 the United States Senate.
The Democrats carried the State by
42,000. the largest majority ever gwen
to any political party, the Legislature be
ing fiye.xIxi his Democratic. This was
one Of the nest critical campaigns III
the history Of tae State, and its man
agehent required great tact and ability.
Here came into play the natural quar-
ties OF the Chairman, to whose work
the great result is attributable. Senator
Ransom said that he had never seen
finer political work in his life than was
done by Mr. Smith in this campaign.
Mr.. Smith was unanimously nominal
ed fer the State Senate i'll 1894, for
Wake county, against his wishes, but
was defeated in the tidal wave which
carried the Statc for the Fusionists that
year. He has several times been men
toned as the nominee for Congress, and
was the overwhelming choice of the
convention which met in 1898, When he
would have been nominated and elected
but for the policy of making no nomina-
tions pursued hy the party. For the
past ten years Mr.. Smith has been
useful and respected member of the
State Democratic Central Committee.
He was the leading candidate in 1892
for Attorney General, but as Col Coke
was nominated for Secretary of State
and Donald Balm for Treasurer, before
the nomination OF Attorney General,
thus taking two men from Raleigh, he
was defeated by Hen. Frank Osborne
after a coed many ballots.
Mr. Smith - il large stakeholder and
Director in the Caraleigh Mills Company
tho Caraleigh Phosphate and Fertilizer
Company, and the North Carolina Car
Company. and Is a member Of the Exc
cutiye Committee Of each of these conn
panies.
He married in january of 1897, Miss
Annie Badger Fais0n. daughter of Col.
Paul f. Faison, and granddaughter of
Hon. George Il. Badger. They have
four children.
Being slightly deaf, he has not been
able to take as active a part in Supe-
rior Court practice as he might wish, and
consequently he has devoted most of his
time to practice in the Supreme Court
and his office. in both OF which he has
met with marked success.
Mr.. Smith must be a real leader OF
men, iii order to be so successful as he
has been in conducting political cam
paigns for as every one knows who has
ever taken part iii a campaign, it is one
Of the most difficult tasks imaginable to
get men so that they will all pull to-
gether in the desired directions. Any
man who is able successfully to reconcile
all the factions, heal all the little pains,
and generally restore harmony in a
large body of men who are to stick to-
gether for a certain political purpose, is