The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-09-02
WORKS FOR FARMER:
SENATOR SMITH has LONG Bat
tiled FOR them
What He has Achieved

Short Sketch of Junior Senator
Life, Describing His First Worl
for the Farmers of the South ant
His Later Entrance Into Politics.
Now Elected for Second Term.
Ellison Durant Smith, familiarlI
known as "Gatling Gun" Smith, "Cot
ton" Smith, and Farmer" Smith
along with other pseudoIyms, born
in Sumter (now Lee) county, August
/, 1866, so that he celebrated his
4Sth birthday while the recent cam
paign was in progress.
Senator Smith comes from fam
lily that has contributed much in
scholarly leadership to the Method
ist Episcopal church, South. His
father, the Rev. William H. Smith,
was one of the historic circuit riders,
and was well known and beloved
throughout South Carolina. Two
brothers followed the example OF
their father, and ably carried for
ward the Iabors which he laid down
after a long and successful life of
unselfish service. These, by virtue
of their character, ability and train
ing, forged to the very forefront in
leadership Of the church,. Coke
Smith being elevated to the, rank of
bishop and the Rev. Charles B. Smith
elected presiding elder of his district.
The mother, Mary Isabelle McCloud
Smith, came from family of in
fuence throughout the State, which
contributed many leaders to the va
rious walks of life.
Ellison DuRant Smith, after at
tending the public and private
schools at Lynchburg. was, prepared
for college at Stewart's school, Char
lesion. He then entered the fresh
man class of the University of South,
Carolina, but later withdrew and
completed his college career at Wof-
ford, the school of his church. From
this institution he was graduated in
1889 with honors, receiving medals
in debate, science and literature.
Twice he has been married. The
first wife was Miss Matte Moorer Of
St. George. From this union one
son was born, who after reaching the
years of young manhood, accidentally
shot himself with a 22-calibre rifle
little more than one year ago. The
young man died from this wound
few days later.
Senator Smiths present wife was
Miss Farley of Spartanburg, niece OF
Former Adjutant General Farley, and
of Will Farley, the famous Confed-
crate scout. Two little girls and one
little boy have blessed this union.
Senator Smith served two terms in
the State legislature-1S96 to 1900
from Sumter county before his ad-
vent into the cotton movement,
which eliminated in his election to
the United States Senate.
It is an old adage that the crisis
develops the leader. Senator Smith
first began to study the cotton situa-
ton when Sully ''cornered" the mar
ket and the price in consequence was
driven to II cents. Wall Street brok-
ers beared the price down to 6 1-2
cents and broke the speculator. 1t
was this catastrophe that first at
tracted the attention of Farmer
Smih, who was himself an extensive
planter, and who felt keenay the
fluctuation of prices. That was in
1904, and E. D. Smith went as a
delegate to the cotton boil weevil
convention at Shreveport, La. Out
of this developed the plans to hold a
cotton congress in New Orleans in
1905, which was organized as the
Southern Cotton association, when
for the first time in history, an effort
was made to have the cotton stored
and to have farmers fix the price.
His territory was the entire South
and he soon became national figure
because of the nation wide interest
which the movement attracted and
the eloquent speeches he made in de-
tense of the movement at New Or
! leans, Birmingham, Shreveport and
Dallas. For three years Senator
Smith served in this capacity, from
1905 to 1908. It was in 1908 that
the farmers of the State united in
solid phalanx and promoted the scot
ton leader" to the United States Sen
ate.
In the present campaign Senator
Smith has been chided for devoting
most of his time for five and one
half years to farmers interests, in
the United States Senate. For this
he has made no apology. His plat
form six years ago, as in this cam
paign, was to see that "the farmers,
those who create the real wealth OF
the world, shall have their proper
share" All legislation which he ini-
tiated has been with this end in view.
Of all the good work Senator
Smith has done, that Of which he is
most proud is the standardizations
of cotton grades and the writing OF
section 13 into the new banking and
currency law.
The first enables the farmer to
compare the sample of the product
he is putting on the market with the
national gradings and to ascertain
the quality Of his produce. From the
| daily quotation, he is in position to
know exactly what price he should
obtain. It was also proved by this
| experiment in testing the tensile
etren 9th of the fibre and the cost OF