The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-03-16
". 0. Smith Leaves
the Cabinet.
RETIRED YESTERDAY A. N.
Gives His Reasons Brief
ly...A Days Political
Sensation.
RETIRED YESTERDAY A. N

William Owen Smith, who has been
Attorney General here since the 18th
day o. January. 1898. is no longer con
neeted vita the Government. He re-
tired from the Cabinet OF President
Dole yesterday morning. The resiEpa-
ton has been accepted. Mr.. Dole, Mr.
Smith and Capt. King are the only men
who have been continuously in the ES-
ecutive Council since the day the Pro
visional Government was organized.
There have been three Ministers OF
Foreign Affairs and three Ministers of
Finance.
The Board OF Health is also without
President. Mr.. Smith was a member
by virtue OF his Office as Attorney Gen
eral and had been placeu nj the head
OF the body.
In the middle of the forenoon IL was
known down town that Mr.. Smith had
left the high and honorable post which
he had reached in the service OF his
native land. That It had long been
his intention to- retire to private life
was we'll known. but the seeming sud
denness of his leaving was rather n
surprise. Mr.. Smith had always said
that so soon rs annexation had been
accomplished he desired to- return to
mis- law practice and his business inter
ests. II was his wish to- take this step
in August last. but he was prevailed
upon by his colleagues and citizens
who appreciated the value OF mis- work.
Ito remain till the change had been
completed-that Is until laws for the
government of the Islands under the
new relation had been enacted at
Washington. Within fortnight he
had expressed the purpose OF depart
ling from the Executive Building at the
end OF tbs month.
The matter OF the quick change IN
1.-THE Cabinet was gone over about town
TO the exclusion of the news brought
by the Australia, talks on stock deals
|, or even the war in the Philippines
Men who had been either openly o'
covertly opposed to- Mr.. Smith as :
lpubliCist were among the first to re
gret that the country was losing th'
Mr.. Smith has been at the head OF th'
Police Department for more than SIS
years and his work here tells for t.
, lself. He has been the attorney in chic
: for the people throughout the who"
group and has been a most successfu
prosecutor.
A The Attorney General was asked wh,
he resigned.
Mr.. Smith replied that while he hl
: contemplated retiring from office fu
some time. and in fact his Tesisratio
. had been in the hands OF PTesidsu
Dole since last August. that his retiI
ing abruptly ut this time was due
an unfortunate condition of atatT
which had arisen among the member
OF me Executive Council.
- The unwarrauted attack which ha
N been publicly made upon himself an
~ other members of the Council 10y ~
st other member. was so unjust tbs
N under the circumstances he deeme
In that he could not consistently Wit
lt self respect and due regard for the put
n lie interests, remain in Office.
Mr.. Smith said that he was uuwtlliu
20 enter further into details. but spuk
OF the great qualification he felt in q
gard to the manner in which the iuse.
Ir rity OF the Government had thus q
been maintained. His thougals SCENE
TO turn back 40 the earlier periods I
the Provisional Government and @
Republic and the trying times thr1uE
which the community had passed az
- spoke OF how much 10 was matter z,
ConEratulation that the high staudai
OF public spirit in the community ha