Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-09-02
SENATOR e. DURANT SMITH.
He Is a Son Of Methodist Minister.
His Work for Farmers.

along with the other pseudonyms, was
born in Sumter (now Lee) county,
August /, 1866, so that he celebrated
his 4Sth birthday while the recent
campaign was in progress.
Senator Smith comes from family
that has contributed much in schol-
arly leadership to the Methodist Epis-
copal church, South. His father, the
Rev VIM. II. 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 car
ried forward the labors which he had
laid down after long and unselfish
life Of successful service. These, by
training, forged to the very forefront
in leadership of the church-A. Coke
Smith being elevated to the rank of
bishop and Rev. Chas. B. Smith elect
ed presiding elder OF his district. The
mother, Mary Isabelle Mcleod Smith,
came from a family Of influence
throughout the State, which has con-
tributed many leaders to the various
walks of life.
Ellison Durant Smith, after attend
ing the public and private schools at
Lynchburg, this State, was prepared
for college at Stewards school, Char
lesion. He then entered the fresh
Carolina, but later he 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 year ago. The
young man died from this wound a
few days after.
Senator Smiths present wife was
Miss Farley, Of Spartanburg, niece Of
former Adjutant General Farley, and
of Will Farley, the famous, Confede-
rate scout. Two little girls and one
little boy have blessed this union
Senator Smith served two terms in
the State Lcgislature-1896 to 1900
from Sumter county before his ad-
vent into the cotton movement, which
eliminated in his election to the Uni
ted States Senate.
1t 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 in consequence the price
was driven to II cents. Wall street
brokers beared the price down to
6R cents and broke the speculator.
1T was this catastrophe that first at
tracted the attention Of Farmer"
Smith, who was himself a planter,
and who felt keenly the huctuation of
prices. That was in 1904, and e. d.
Smith went as a delegate to the cot
ton boil weevil convention at Shreve-
port, La. Out Of this developed the
plans to hold a cotton congress in
New Orleans in 1905, which was or
ganized as the Southern Cotton Asso-
citation. For the first time in history
an effort was made to have cotton
stored and to have the farmers fix
the price. Senator Smith was made
held agent His territory was the
entire South and he soon became a
national figure because Of the nation
wide interest which the movement
had attracted and the eloquent
speeches he made in defense Of the
movement at New Orleans, Birming-
ham, Shreveport and Dallas. For
three years Senator Smith served in
this capacity-from 1905 to 1903
and The farmers of the State united
in solid phalanx and promoted the
cotton leader to the United States
Senate.
In the present campaign Senator
Smith had been chided for devoting
most OF his time for five and oneLhalf
years to farmers interests in the
United States Senate. For this he
has made no apology. His platform
six years ago, as in this campaign,
was to see that "the farmers-those