Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1893-02-21
the city.

Hoke Smith, the next Secretary OF
the Interior, comes OF a Revolutionary
family from New Hampshire. His
great-grandf was an officer 10 Gen.
| Washngtou'S army, and his grand
father was one of the most skiilfui poll
ticians in that State. Mr.. Smiths
father was an educator, and IL was In
response TO an invitation to become a
professor at the University of North
! Carolina that be removed to that State.
There Prof. Smith met and married
the sister of Gen. Hoke, who to-day &C.
cupies prominent position in the rail-
road world Hoke Smith was born in
1855. BE was given good education
and went to Georgia when only 16 years
old. He began his career as school
teacher. During his leisure hours he
studied law.
He devoted himself especially to COM
mercial law. After his admission 10 the
bar his ability as lawyer was quickly
recognized, and he soon enjoyed good
practice, being retained by railroad, po-
litical and municipal bodies to conduct
perpIexing negotiations.
He entered politics when only twenty
years old, and not long after was made
the chairman of the Democratic Execu-
tive Committee at Atlanta. AT that
time the great nerve which always has
characterized him was needed in deal
Ing with the factions then engaged in
bitter warfare.
Smith was Chairman Of the State
Convention which nominated Governor
Northen, and from that time has been
recognized as the tariH-reform leader
Of the State. He met Mr.. Cleveland
for the first time during the Piedmont
Exposition of 1889, and formed high
| admiration for him personally. He
had been before among his most ardent
supporters politically. Mr.. Cleveland
seemed 10 have reciprocated his high
regard, and they frequently exchanged
letters.
When Coll Evan P. Hownll, Clark
Howell, Patrick Walsh aud others tried
to secure a solid delegation from
Georgia pledged to the candidacy OF
David B. Hill, Mr.. Smith took off his
coat ana secured majority favorable
to the nomination Of Mr.. Cleveland. At
/ Chicago Smith took delegate after dele
gate away from Hill, and almost before
the Hill men were aware of it he had
| the Georgia delegation transformed
| into a solid Cleveland delegation.
/ After the nomination OF Cleveland
Smith went home and worked like a
| Trojan for his election. To his efforts,
more than TO those OF any other man,
was due the overwhelming majority for
| the Democratic ticket which was rolled
/ up in November from the Empire State
! Of the South.
Mr.. Smith is regarded as one OF the
brsinieSt lawyers in the South. His In
come from his practice is said to be
! larger than that Of any other lawyer In
the State. He owns the Atlanta Jour
nal, live and aggressive daily, which,
/ from the beginning Of the first Cleve-
/ land administration, has been an earn
est champion of the tariff reform cause.
/ Smith has made it the Cleveland organ
OF his section.
In 1883 MIR. Smith married the daugh.
ter Of Gen. Thomas R. R. Cob5. which
made him by marriage the nephew OF
/ Howell Cobb. Secretary OF the Treasury
under the Buchanan administration
I For two years Smith has been Presi-
| dent OF the Atlanta Board of Education.
1 He is said 10 be worth half million OF
dollars and enjoys an annual Income
from his law practice Of nearly $40, 600.
Personally Mr.. Smith is one OF the ge.
nial Of men. He stands feet In his
stockings, is OF athletic bnild and make,
as imposing figure wherever he appears
His friends say his brain is bigger than
his body. and they predict that be vii
institute reformsin the Interior Depart