Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1925-02-20
SENATOR LOUIS S. EPES,
Regarded As Strong Candidate For
Democratic Nominee For State
Corporation Commission

reports ln0lcate tnat the canQlQacy
Of Senator Louis S. Epes, of Nottoway,
for the Democratic nomination for
member of the State Corporation Com
mission is being actively pressed by
the people of the Fourth Congressional
District, and that he is receiving a
widespread support throughout the
State, and is generally regarded as a
very strong candidate. The Epes-For-
Corporation Commission Club, OF
Blackstone, Senator Epes' home town,
has issued a call to the voters of Vir-
didacy, in which the following. data
with reference to his public and pri-
vate life is given.
Senator Epes is young man, forty
three, eminently fitted by tempera-
ment and training for service on the
Commission, of untiring energy, and
has high ideal Of what public service
should be. He is neither closely
affiliated with corporate interest, nor
prejudiced against them. In his public
statements, he admits that he sees the
problems coming before the Commits
sion from the standpoint of the dis
Interested citizen who has informed
himself with reference to these SUBJ
jects. but his ability, courage, fair
ness and integrity assure both the
public and the corporate interests fair
treatment at his hands.
Senator Epes, has proven himself a
hard efficient worker In both private
and public life. At Hampden-Sidney
College he graduated with second
honor and the degrees of A. B., B. S.
and A. M. Having borrowed money to
complete his college course, he taught
for five years to repay this, and secure
funds for his law course. In 1908 he
graduated in law at Washington and
Lee University at the head of his class,
and was awarded the prize for the best
legal thesis. Since 1908 he has prac
ticed law at Blackstone, where he has
large general law practice and has
attained high reputation for ability
and integrity both as an advocate and
counselor. From 1910, until he re-
signed in 1918 to enter the field artil-
lery OF the U. S. Army, he was Mayor
of Blackstone, and as such demon
strated real executive ability. Soon
after he was discharged from the
Army he was rendered professorship
of law at Washington and Lee Uni
versity, but declined, that he might
remain in active practice and public
life. In 1919 he was elected to the
State Senate for the district then COM
posed Of the counties of Nottoway,
Lunenburg, Prince Edward, Amelia.
and Cumberland and reelected in 1923.
In the Senate, Senator Epes is rec
ognized as one Of the leaders and has
the reputation Of being probably the
hardest worker and one of the best
informed men in the Senate; and is a
member of the Senate Committees on
finance. education. and courts of jus.
tice. Since 1920 he has been a mem.
Der of the Legislative auditing com.
mittee, which is charged with making
an annual audit Of the financial affairs
of the State.
Senator Epes actively opposed q
bond issue for financing highway con.
struction, but has insisted on in
creased rapidity in road building; and
| In circles best informed on the sub.
ject, Is credited with having promul
gated in 1922 the pay-as-you-go system
of financing highway construction and
having initiated the steps that lead
| to the special session of 1923 being
called for the purpose of levying q
gasoline tax and the adoption of the
pay-as-you-go plan. In the special SEES
l sion Of 1928, Senator Epes was fool
leader Of the Pay-As-You-Go forces and
with Senator Byrd, Mr. Ozlin, and
others lead the successful anti-bond
| campaign of 1928.
In the regular session of 1924 Sen
| ator Epes was one Of the leaders de
| handing that the State live within it,
revenue and make provision for ths
orderly liquidation Of the deficit tina
had accrued.
Senator Epes is the SON Of dis
tinguished Presbyterian minister. Rev
Theodorick p. Epes, d. D., and himsel
an elder in the Blackstone Presby
terrain Church at Blackstone.
| One OF the basic principles carried
by Senator Epes into his public life
IL that the State Is entitled to receiv'
from its officials as faithful. econom
lcal and efficient service. and as close
application to its business as Is re
quired by the best conducted private
business; and to no one las he ap
piled this principle 50 vigorously a. t.
himself
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