Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-08-28
HOk { SMITH STEPS DOWN
SACRIFICES HIS OFFICE TO
HIS POLITICAL CON-
VICTIONS.
MUST SUPPORT BRYAN.
The Only Member of the Cabi.
net Loyal to the Demo
cratic Party.

appeared in print on the proba
bility of the early resignation o
Secretary Hoke Smith. There
can now be no doubt but that h
has resigned, and that his resig'
nation has been accepted.
For SOME days past shipment:
have been made to Atlanta Of
his books and papers, and it is
learned that he has declined tc
set any department business tc
be heard by him for date later
than this month. 1t can safely
be assumed that a successor will
be in charge i'll a very short
while.
After the nomination of Bryan
and Sewall it became known
that Secretary Smith was the
only member of the Cabinet who
announced the purpose to sup
port that ticket, and that this
action On his part, while not i'll
any way affecting the personal
relation between himself and the
other members Of the Cabinet
seemed SO material to him that
he felt constrained to tender his
resignation.
The Secretary declines 20 dis
cuss the subject in any way.
Ever since the rumors of the
probable resignation of Secre>
tary Smith there has been more
or less gossip concerning his
probable successor, and at the
Interior Department the name OF
John M. Reynolds, the Second
Assistant Secretary of the de-
partment, has been frequently
mentioned for the place. The
new Cabinet officer will have
only a little more than six
months to serve, and it is regard
ed as probable that Mr.. Cleves
land would prefer to fill the va
cancy from the department rath~
er than appoint some one who
would be new to the work, which
involves acquaintance with a
great variety of matters affecting
directly the public welfare.
The rumored resignation of
Secretary Hoke Smith occasions
no surprise in Atlanta, as it has
been understood among the Sec>
retary's intimate friends ever
since he came out for the Chica-
go ticket that he would, sooner
or later, retire from the Cabinet.
It is understood that, i1nmedi-
ately upon his withdrawal, he
will return to Atlanta and re-
sume the practice of his profes-
sion there.
The sign Choke Smith has
remained on the door, and the
Secretary's desk has been kept,
waiting his return. 1t is well
known that Mr.. Smith, on ell
tering the Cabinet, left law
practice which paid him several
times the salary of Cabinet Of
fcer, and he will return to enter
upon one which will be much
more profitable still.
Hoke Smith is we'll known in
Georgia as a lawyer and pub
Usher of the Atlanta TOWnak
He went to Georgia from North
Carolina at the age of sixteen
and started life as a school teach>
er. In odd moments he managed
to study law and was admitted to
the bar a. the age of twenty-one.
Settling in Atlanta, he soon won
a reputation as clever railroad
lawyer. Contrary to most of his
kind, however, Smith always es-
poused the cause of persons with
damage suits against railroads,
and won an astonishing number
of these cases.
While still in his early tWen-
ties he entered politics and was
made chairman Of Atlanta S
Democratic Executive Commits
tee. He soon won the title OF
leader of the tariff reform move
ment in Georgia, and won several
bitter fights in behalf of his
chosen cause. In 1888 Smith
bought controlling interest in
the Atlanta f0uynal, Of which
| he has ever since been the rul-
ing power.
This paper he used as vig>
orous Cleveland organ, and
| worked personally with all his
power to insure Cleveland S
election.
He is one of the youngest OF
this nations present statesman.
being only forty one years old.
| LATER.-President Cleveland
has announced that David r.
Francis, Ex-Governor of Mis-
souri,, has been appointed Sec
retary of the Interior, vice Hoke
Smith, resigned, and that he
will assume the duties of his of.
e. Ca-to,,, her Tct