The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-18
The Truth About Mr.. Smith.

! The MORNING News said the day it was
| announced that Mr.. Hoke Smith had been
/ offered and had accepted the Office Of Score
Rotary Of the Interior that he would fill the
Office with credit to himself, and that the
record be would make would compare
! favorably with that of his predecessor in
/ the Office. There seems TO be a disposition
in some quarters, however, to make IL sp-
| pear that Mr.. Smith was given the office
/ because of his prominence in Georgia, his
services TO the Democratic party in this
state and his efforts in behalf of Mr.. Clsve-
lands nomination. II Mr.. Cleveland gave
Mr.. Smith place in his cabinet because OF
such representations the MORNING News Is
of the opinion that he was misled Mr..
Smith has no such prominence In Georgia
nor have his services TO the Democratic party
in this state been such as to justify him in
expecting a cabinet position. Neither be
nor the paper he controls. if we are not mis-.
taken, favored the nomination of Mr..
Cleveland until the Constitution came out
squarely for Senator Hill. The Atlanta
Journal, the paper which Mr.. Smith con-
trolls, favored according to our recollection,
the nomination Of a western man.
Mr.. Smith Is a good lawyer, but he has
never been looked upon as a leader Of the
bar Of Georgia. His practice has been
largely Of that class Of cases known as dam
age suits against railroads, and he has been
successful in getting verdiots. 1t is a class
OF business that is profitable, but il does
not require q very high order Of legal
ability. It does not follow, however. that
Mr.. Smith would not be equally successful
in higher class of litigation.
From party standpoint there are men In
Georgia who are much more deserving than
Mr.. Smith Of the honor he has received. 1t
is difficult TO understand how Mr.. Cleveland
could have passed by such men as Rufus E.
Lester, James Il. Blount and Henry g.
Turner-men who are prominent in both
state and national politics-if he wanted to
compliment Georgia.
The fact is recognized, however, that it Is
Mr.. Cleveland's privilege to select whom
he pleases for his secretaries. II was once
the custom for a President to call TO his
assistance the really strong men of his party
with the view Of strengthening his admins
tration, but IL appears to have fallen into
innocuous desuetude.
Mr.. Smith is not even we'll known in his
own state. Indeed, few outside of Atlanta
had ever heard Of him until he became the
chief owner Of an afternoon paper in that
city. And when it was first reported that he
stooda chance of being offered a place in
the cabinet the report was regarded as hav-
ing no foundation.
We have nothing to say against MIR.
Smith. He has the reputation of being a
good citizen and man Of ability. We
congratulate him on his good fortune, and
predict that his administration of the de-
partment OF the interior will be an emil
nently satisfactory one. We simply wish
to make the point that some very effective
work must have been done In Mr.. Smiths
behalf, and that he owes the offer of a cabi-
net position To something else than political
prominence at home or party services.