Evening star., 1931-11-27

tC0nblnueQ FTOW flTSJ EdRe.D
1924 he married Maisie Crawford Of
Cordele, Ga
In 1872 Smith began the practice Of
law in Atlanta and after year of com.
bining studying with teaching, was ad:
nlitted to the bar. He was then II
years old. His first adventure into pol
itics was at the age Of 20, when he be-
came chairman of the Democratic Ex-
ecutive Committee in his county.
In 1887 he purchased the Atlanta
Evening Journal and he became editor
Supported Cleveland.
Smith was for tariff reform and his
beliefs led him to support Grover Cleve-
land in 1888. Four years later Cleve-
land was antagonized in Georgia by adj
vocates of the nomination of David B.
Hill Smith supported Cleveland with
such success that Cleveland delega-
ton went to the convention and Smith
/ was a delegate. A year later he become
Secretary of the Interior.
His record as a cabinet ofdcer In"
cluded one incident that later was to
be remembered He alone@f the cabl'
net stood for the retaining by the Gov
ernment of the ownership of the Unlop
Pacific Railroad.
In the campaign of 1896 Smith was
opposed to william j. Bryan and ens
gagged in a series of joint debates with
Charles D. Crisp, then Speaker OF the
House When Bryan was nominated,
Smith resigned from the cabinet.
A large law practice engaged him
when he returned to Atlanta. In 1900
he sold the Evening Journal to James
r. Gray and in 1906 ran for Governor.
OF q popular vote of 10000 Smith re-
ceived 10000.
Row Followed Panic.
The new administration was scarcely
three months old when the panic o.
1907 swept the country. The railroad
question then precipitated disagree
ment. Joseph NJ. Brown was the only
one of three railroad commissioners to
vote against the reduction of intrastats
passenger rates. AS result the Gov
ernor removed Brown,
In the Spring of 1903 Gov. Smith be-
came a candidate for a second term
Brown, the discharged commissioner
was the opposing candidate and at ths
primary was nominated, receiving IN
round numbers 100000 votes to Smiths
$4,000.
The State dates the present system OF
disposing of the labor of ConvictS from
the last year of Gov. Smiths first term.
After a series of revelations of abuses
gave notice he would veto any bill re-
newing the convict lease and finally
called an extra session of the Legis-
lature to end it. This was successfully
accomplished and 5000 convictS were
put to work on the public roads.
Sent to Senate.
His second Inauguration took place
July l, 1911. Twelve days later the
Legislature elected him to the Senate
to fill vacancy caused by the death OF
Senator A. S. Clay.
In 1915 he was reelected to the Sem
ate. The League of Nations fight in the
Senate found him at difference with
President Wilson. Senator Smiths OPP
position to the policies of President Will
son carried him so far that his name
was offered in the presidential primaries
in his State. He lost the fight and
when he offered year later for re-elec-
ton to the Senate was defeated.
His term expired, he took up the
practice of law in Washington. He
was employed by the government of
Peru in 1928 to represent it in litiga-
ton involving that country with Chile,
work which kept him in Washington
much of the time.
In 1924 he returned to Atlanta,
abandoning his private practice in
Washington.