The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-25
A Glimpse Of the Secretary Who Has
Disappointed Cleveland.
HIS SUDDEN LEAP TO NOTORlETY
On Account of His Peculiar Name
and the Pension Outrages the OBJ.
scure Georgia Cracker Became
FamOus..C Cleveland Attitude To.
wards tho Chicago Platform. .Davy
Hill Has Remained ON the Perch
Too Long.
Bureau of The Tribune,
SOL 14th street, N. W.,

washington, aug. ~.
Hoke Smith has come and is about to
go. A little more than three years ago
Mr. Smith was unknown beyond the
borders of Georgia, and people say there
We're several sections in the Cracker
state that knew him not. But now the
name of Hoke Smith is known through
out the length and breath of the land.
From almost total obscurity he leaped
into fame upon the incoming of the
present administration. His name
Hoke-had a good deal to do with the
notoriety he has gained. At least 1t had
more to do with making him famous
than anything he ever did either before
or since he became a part and parcel
of President Cleveland's official family.
The newspapers all over the country
dwelt at greater or lesser length upon
the euphonious name of Hoke-hence
Mr.. Smiths fame. However odd the
name of Hoke may sound to people Mr..
Smith is very proud of it. 1t was the
surname of his mothers family, and it
was his uncle, Samuel Hoke. who was
Instrumental in educating Mr.. Smith
and thus making It possible for him
to become one of the presidents official
advisers in later years. 1t is no Won
der, therefore, that Mr.. Smith Is proud
of his name of Hoke. 1t has served
him well. If it had been plain John
Smith. or Bill Smith or any other ordin-
ary name it possibly would not have at
tracted the attention the name OF Hoke
mas, and it would, therefore, have gone
down into history unsung and un-
known.
Secretary Smith has not attracted
any particular attention as cabinet
officer, possibly because the interior
department affords only few oppor-
tunities in which to display greatness.
He gained some notoriety by attacking
the pension system. and broght down
upon his head the wrath of the old
soldiers. He got out of the muddle,
however, by shifting the responsibility
upon q subordinate otiicer-the late
Commissioner of Pensions Loehren-
who was a gallant soldier himself, and
who later left the pension bureau be-
cause he could no longer stand the out
RACES being perpetrated upon his old
comrades in arms. Secretary Smith
has given very little of his time to the
business coming before his department,
He has kept up his law practice in
Georgia and also devoted considerable
time to making political speeches. OF
course, the work of the interior depart
ment has been kept up, but it was done
by his assistants. Second Assistant
Secretary Reynolds has done most of
the work, as the first lieutenant, Col
onel Sims, of Mississippi, has followed
more or less in the footsteps of his
superior
not a public calamity. The country will
survive the temporary shock, if it can
be called such.
CLEVELAND'S ATTITUDE.
There is very little doubt now as to
President Cleveand's attitude towards
the Chicago platform and ticket. He
is opposed to both. That much is GER
tain. If he is not in favor of third
ticket then there is nothing in the old
adage that straws show which way the
wind blows" All of his close and inti-
mate friends-Senator3 Villas, Palmer.
Gray, Lindsay and Caffrey-are the
leading spirits in the Indianapolis con-
vention. Mr.. Cleveland Is expected to
speak either during that convention or
Immediately following 1t.
Senator Hill has come to the forks in
the road. He must choose one or the
other pretty quick. There Is no time
to be lost. Hill has an ambitious rival
in the person Of Bourke Cochran, who
wants to succeed him in the United
States senate, and he must get down off
the fence and declare himself either
for or against the issues promulgated
by the regular Democracy at Chicago.
1t is doubtful now IL Mr.. Hill could
make his peace with the free silver
people if he cared to do so. He burned
his bridges when he prevented the New
York delegation from taking part in the
nomination at Chicago, and later when
he refused to attend the Bryan notifica-
ton meeting al Madison Square Garden.
Hill feels, however, that no man who
indorses the Chicago ticket can be elect
cd to the senate from New York. He
also knows that the Democrat who
places himself outside the pale of the
regular organization in New York,
which is now supporting Bryan. can
not hope for much. So it will be seen
that Mr.. Hill is at present between wind
and water. w. Il. b.