Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/686

 608 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI the county, has had wide and varied experi- ence in his profession. A man with strong opinions on all public questions, he has al- ways had the courage to express them. "While in the legislature he had the most exalted views of his office and the obligations it in- volved. He was not there to pander to public sentiment or so to trim his sails that he might arouse a popular feeling among the people of his district, but to represent the people as he felt they should be represented. He felt that if it were otherwise and he were to be restricted in his views and their ex- pression and obliged to wait to find out wliether they pleased the people or not, he would infinitely rather go back to private life and become a private citizen, with the right to express his views untrammeled and un(|uestioned by anybody on earth, with the right to try to formulate public sentiment along the lines of his ideas. A man with such decided views could not fail to be an important factor with his party and in the community in general. T. R. R. Ely was born in Atchison county, Missouri, January 19, 1860, where his boy- hood days were spent until he reached the age of sixteen. He attended the Stuartsville, De Kalb county, school and the academy conducted by the Reverend Perry of the Presbyterian church. He then went to West- minster College at Fulton, where he stayed two years, taking a general course, followed by a law coui-se at the State University, grad- uating in the class of 1881. As soon as he was graduated he came to Kennett, upon the recommendation of Joseph Russell, a fel- low student, vho is now a prominent mem- ber of congress. The bar was at that time mainly composed of outside men from other counties, but it was a rich practice. The following year, in 1882, Mr. Ely was elected prosecuting attorney and during his term of office he did such good work that two years later, at the next election, he was re- elected. The country around Dunklin was very wild at that time, much wickedness go- ing on in, the county. During his term Mr. Ely sent fort.y-four men to the penitentiary, reall.v the enforcement of law in that part of the country began with his regime; from that time on there was a complete change, the better class of people standing by him and giving him the advantage of their sup- port. They had only needed a leader, long having felt that a change was needed, but not having sufficient initiative to go ahead and make any change by themselves. In 1886 ;Mr. Ely was elected to represent Dunk- lin count.v in the legislature. During his term of office he pushed the bill setting apart one-third of all revenues for the school sup- port, one of the most important acts of leg- islature. At the expiration of his term he resumed his practice in Kennett, having all the work he could possibly attend to. In 1904 he was elected to the senate in the twenty- second senatorial district, including Dunk- lin, Butler, Ripley, Wayne, Curtis, Bollinger and Cape Girardeau counties. It is needless to sa.y that he worked hard, for he was so constituted that he could not undertake a thing and not go into it with all his might. It was through his energetic pushing that the aiipropriation of ten thousand dollars was made to make a topographical survey of the five swamp counties. The amount was expended by commission of the governor; this was the first step towards drainage in that district, resulting in some twenty-tive drainage districts being formed in Dunklin county alone. This simply aroused public interest, as at that time there was not a canal in existence. They have all ))een made since that first start. He was a member of the board of regents of the State Normal School at Cape Girardeau, at the time when the new school was being built. He always took the deepest interest in all matters pertain- ing to education and only resigned his posi- tion on the board to fill the position of sen- ator, where a wider scope was offered his capabilities. Since he left the senate he has devoted most of his time to his practice, be- ing a member of the firm of Ely, Kelso & Miller at Cape Girardeau, in addition to his own practice in Kennett. His aid is called for in most leading cases and the side that is fortunate enough to secure his services is pretty sure to come out ahead. He has been wonderfully successful in his practice. One would imagine that the Honorable T. R. R. Ely would have no time for anything but his law work, but such is not the case. He has been most active in politics all of his life, the Democrats having a strong ad- vocate in him. He was a delegate to the Denver Convention to nominate Bryan, the state committee obtaining his services as a stump speaker. He has an unusual gift of oratory : his language is excellent, but that is not the reason that his speeches are so