South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-03-04
PROSECUTOR SMITH
SEEKS NOMINATION
Laporte Man Seeks Congress
sional Office-Will Enter
May Primaries.


LAPORTE. Ind, March s. 49, An
nouncement BY Ralph y. Smith OF
this city here Wednesday that he is
candidate for the democratic
nomination for congressman from
the 18th congressional district added
hope for the success Of the party
ticket at the November elections.
The former Laporte county pros
ecuting attorney Tuesday night fled
his declaration OF candidacy with
the secretary Of state. and Wednes-
day made formal announcement of
his candidacy just before departing
for Valparaiso where ne is engaged
in the trial of a lawsuit.
It is not believed here that Mr.
Smith will have any opposition for
the democratic congressional nom
ination. Friends OF Mr.. Smith have
been urging him for some time TO
enter the race, but Il was not until
late Tuesday that he was finally
prevailed upon TO become a candi-
date
Friends Of the former prosecuting
attorney here and throughout the
district point to his political record
in Laporte county as evidence of
his campaign ability.
Born In Ohio.
Mr.. Smith was born near Green
wich. Huron county. o.. on a farm,
nearly ~ years ago. He spent his
early life on the farm, until about
10 years OF age. in the meantime
teaching school for three terms. He
received his early education at the
high school in Greenwich. and the
Ohio Normal university at Ada. and
entered the law school at Nalpar-
also, being graduated from there with
a degree of bachelor of law, in June.
1896. In the same year he was
married TO Olive Mcbride of Elk
hart county, whose parents live near
Millersburg. about II miles from
Goshen Immediately entering the
practice OF law he and his wife
moved TO Illinois where he prac-
ticed for nearly six years. and came
to Laporte in the spring OF 1901,
since which time he has been en-
gagged in the active practice in La
porte He formed a partnership
with NJ. r. Sutherland of Laporte.
Jan. l. 1905. and has been engaged
in the practice with Mr.. Sutherland
as his partner ever since.
In 1906 the democrats OF Laporte
county nominated him for prosecut-
ing attorney and he was renominated
and elected for three terms, holding
Office continuously from January.
1908, until Jan. l. 1914.
There was born TO him and his
wife one son, who is now past 81
years Of age and is attending the
University OF Michigan at Ann Ar
bOr being a junior at that school.
Secretary of Draft Board.
During the war he was a member
and secretary of the local legal
advisory board for Laporte county,
and devoted considerable time to-
ward the aiding OF selected men in
the making of questionnaires. He
was also chairman for the 18th dis
trict board of instructions for Sc
lected men, and was also acting
chairman OF the county counsel of
defense in the absence Of Mr..
Sutherland, who was the regular
chairman and was active in all Of
the campaigns for war work in his
coLTty In the fall % 1918 ne en-
lisled in the service and was ad-
camp, at Camp Fremont, Calf,
and had passed the examination
and had received the proper papers
and was 20 report at the camp Nov.
20, 1918, The armistice being
signed on Nov. Il. the government
cancelled his admission. His son
was enlisted in the army and was
attending the University Of Indiana
at the time and was in the S. A. T..
c. camp there until the close OF the
war.
He is a member of several fra
ternities, Masonic bodies, including
the Knights Templar, Knights of
Pythias, Ben Hur and Maccabees,
in which latter organization he is a
state officer. holding the position
OF state counsel.