The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-03-20
WIN. q. SMITH.

Mr.. w. o. Smiths resignation OF of
fee was accepted On Saturday, and Mr.
Henry f. Cooper has exchanged the
Office of Minister of Foreign Affairs for
that OF Attorney General.
Those who were in Mr.. Smiths con-
fidence have known for several years ne
has most earnestly desired TO retire
from o-lce, and devote himself to his
private affairs. His family urged him to
do so, as he was u man without office
hours" or in other words he was quite
as willing and ready to serve the gov
eminent at midnight, as he was dur
ing the customary official hours. AS
Attorney General, supervising the
criminal bushes of the Courts in all
the Islands, his time could have been
fully occupied. AS the head of the Po-
lice force, his time could have been
advanta geOusly occupied. AS President
Of the Board of Health his time also
could have been exclusively and intel
ligently devoted to the sanitary con-
ditions of the Islands. AS member
ID6 SjDill&t dllt ILAbCuIIV6 AOuHClI
he could have devoted all of his time
to the many and perplexing questions
before it., for many of these questions
involved matters which belonged to the
Finance, Interior and Foreign depart
ments.
But he did his duty we'll in all of
THESE various offices. He was always
prompt, full of resources, willing to
face obstacles, and always fearless.
Some infirmities in manner often Great
ed the impression that he was unjust
and arbitrary. But even these infirmi-
ties, slight as they were are usually
conspicuous in men of marked eXecu-
tive ability. In matters relating to his
Offices his most intimate friends found
him absolutely devoid of any sentiment
of friendship and had no more infiu-
eafce over him than a stranger seeking
for favOrs.
There is no occasion for making any
comparisons between his character and
that of his colleagues. All that need
he said is that, by reason of the many
den placed upon him than upon any
of them, and at times upon all of them
together, and his colleagues will bear
testimony to the efficient way he car
ried that burden. The word ''shirk'
was not written in his lexicon
1t was largely due to him that the
improvements on the Island OF Ha-
waii were begun His duties compelled
him 10 visit that Island, and he was
the first, we believe, who recognized
the Justice of the demands of the people
OF that Island for more consideration
from the government. But he never
claimed, so far as we know, any spe-
cial gratitude for what he did. He tried
10 remove that serious defect OF our
gOyeI'nment-uhat political abSurdlty,
the administration of small local aft
fairs by departments in Honolulu. One
of the last measures he proposed In tine
Executive Council, and it was adopted
was the handing over to the intelligent
Road Commissioners of Hilo, a body
OF most competent men, the amount
appropriated for road improvements
in that place, who should be and are
more competent to distribute the funt
than men residing here, and with mucf
less knowledge than those commission
srs of the needs of the place.
afr. Smith is one of the trustees o
the Bishop estate It's property is rap
idly increasing in value. The oudool
is that it will have great power 10
good or evil in the Islands. The usua
experienc e. during the past hundre
years, is that such charitable estate
suffer grievously from dry rot Me
of wealth seeing the feeble uses
such estates hesitate to aid them o
establish others of the same kind. In
CRY in these later days is for their ad
ministration by live men.
AS one of the trustees of this estate
AIR. Smith has before him boundles
field of usefulness if he can prevent IN
dry rot from touching lit. study an
know what the best methods OF eau
cation are, is not an easy task, especia
Nv in a community of mixed races. Br
it must be done, or the result VIII .
a great charity existing in vain. "
believe that Mr.. Smith will find nj
best work hereafter, aside from IN
conduct of his own business analrT
in preparing young men and womel
Through this charity, to become goo
citizens. and members of this comma
nifty.