Evening star., 1944-11-17

cotton in a wagon drawn by pair
OF mules.
/ After serving two terms in the
State Legislature, he became an
organizer in 1905 for the Southern
Cotton Association, formed to raise
the price of the crop. He duties
carried him into every county OF his
State, and enabled him to gain the
friendship Of thousands of farmers,
who afterward constituted the
foundation Of his political strength.
Defeated Large Field.
He defeated large field for the
nomination, equivalent to election
in his Overwhelmingly Democratic
State, in 1908. In succeeding pri-
maries he never failed to have
strong opposition, but he met all
comers and came out on top.
As Senator he made cotton
legislation his prime concern, but
he also sponsored measures to re-
strict immigration, regulate freight
rates and to promote the general
welfare of the farm population
It was a matter of pride that he
fathered the bill providing for the
construction of mammoth nitrate
and power plant at Muscle Shoals
in Alabama, q project that eventu-
ally became the nucleus of the
great Tennessee Valley Authority
program.
Muscle Shoals" he said before
the iva was launched, will stand
as my monument"
On the Senate floor, Senator
Norris, the Nebraska liberal, once
paid tribute to Senator Smith, say
ing he was surpassed by NO man in
his knowledge Of cotton farming
and his devotion to the welfare of
the farm population.
Helped Override Veto.
Senator Smith headed the Immi-
grafton Committee during the Will
son administrations. He led In a
successful movement to override
President Wilson's veto of a bill re-
Stricting immigration.
He achieved an unusual distinc-
ton by being elected chairman Of
the important Interstate Com
merce Committee in the Harding
Republican administration, al
though he was a member Of the
minority party. A Republican dead
lock paved the way for his election.
His seniority gave him the chair
manship of the Agriculture Com
mittee during the Roosevelt admin
istration, but he was frequently at
odds with Secretary of Agriculture
Wallace and other party leaders
over farm policies.
Once he remarked he would have
been as great a man as John c.
Calhoun, the statesman all South
Carolinians revers, had he not been
so lazy. .-.. -
Despite, this professed laziness, he |
was a vigorous carnpatgner, and in |
the joint political debates required
Of all candidates in South Carolina.
he was able to hold his own with all
competition. In two of his contests
he worsted Cole L. Blease, one-time
Senator and Governor, who was re-
nowned as stump speaker.
Son Of Methodist Minister.
He was born August /, 1864, near
the little town of Lynchburg, which
he always called home. He was the
son of a Methodist minister, the
Rev. William H. Smith. His two
brothers became ministers, one of
them bishop, and his two sisters
married ministers.
THAT means have to do the
cussing for the whole family" he
sometimes remarked.
He attended the University of
South Carolina and later was grad
uated from Wofford College at Spar
tanburg, s. C.. He was twice mar
ried, to Matte Moorer in 1892 and
to Annie Farley in 1906. He had four
children, Ellison D., jr.; Farley, Mrs.
Carlton Pearce and Mrs. c. Alfred
To uytny,