The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1920-08-05
THE ABSENT MR.. SMITH

ing lack of interest on the part of the
voters of South Carolina in the pres
ent campaign. Reports from all parts
of the State show that the meetings
have been attended by but a handful
of voters and that the few present
showed little if any enthusiasm. The
voters do not seem to realize that 1t
is the duty of its citizens to inform
themselves on the issues of the day,
the shortcomings of public officials
and by intelligent voting to at least
attempt to correct some Of the ev-
lis of which they complain bitterly.
Yet it is plain that the great majori-
ty of our voters scarcely know the
names of all the candidates for whom
they will soon be called upon to
vote.
At recent meeting Of candidates
for the United States Senate Senator
Ellison Durant Smith, who has served
twelve years and is canvassing for
reelection, made the statement that
he would serve the State and coun-
try in future as he had in the past.
And it is recorded that the few vot-
ers present applauded the promise.
How many of them know how MIR.
Smith has served the State and the
Nation during his twelve years in Of
flee? Surely none of those who ap-
plauded.
Do they know that he has received
in salary approximately 100000 and
that figures published in the Congress
sional Record show that he has been
absent more than half the time he
has been paid to be present and rep
resent the people of his State and his
country.
Since Mr.. Smith has been in the
Senate there have been 3,l45 quorum
calls and he was absent 1887 times.
During d part Of this time much OF
the most important work that has
been done in the Senate since its in
auguration has been transacted and
it is a matter of record that when
time after time measures could not
be acted upon through lack of quo
rum, Mr.. Smith was one of those who
were absent. so noticeable was this
lack of attention to his Senatorial
duties in time OF need that the New
York Times, the leading Democratic
paper of America, dubbed Senator
Smith as "The Absent Mr.. Smith
During the Sixty-fifth Congress
Mr.. Smith was chairman Of the com
mittee which handled the railroad
legislation, and it is a matter of rec
ord that under that legislation the
railroads cost the people $9OO,478,-
756. At the same time Mr.. Smith
was concerned with nitrate plants.
Nitrate plants were established at a
cost of $12O,OO0,OO0 where not
pound of nitrates was produced.
Mr.. Smiths great campaign claim
is that he has raised the price of cot
ton. 1t has been asked, "lf Senator
Smith raised the price of cotton, who
raised the price of fertilizers, coal,
drugs, clothing, building materials,
farming implements and every other
unheard of high prices at the same
time that cotton advanced?'
The Saturday Evening Post says:
"We need great and honest men
as leaders, men Of deeds, men with
consciences; yes, but back of them
we need independent, educated, sob
er-minded citizens, who at last have
realized that if the country is GO
ing wrong it is their own fault, and
that if it is to get right it will be
through their own efforts, and can
not possibly be through those of any
one else.
1t may not always be the voters
fault the first time, nor even the
second or third, but when they con
tinue indefinitely to re-elect men
who either intentioally or through alb
solute carelessness plunge the coun-
try into indebtness that their grand
children will still be paying off, they
should not kick when they contribute
their share when buying a glass OF
Mr.. Smith is certainly chargeable
with his share Of appropriating $751;
100000, 900, or az times the estimat-
ed wealth of South Carolina, during
the year that ended June 30, 1917,
whether it was done in his absence
or during his attendance.
OF course the war was expensive
and had to be paid for; there is no
complaint on that. The point is :
Why did the National debt of the
United States increase 1000 per
cent. while England's increase was
but 1000 per cent, Frances $50 per
cent and Germany's CTS per cent?
The people vote for men who are
to represent them. Some of them do