Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-11
HAWAII'S REPRESENTATIVE
William Owen Smith Will Represent the Is
lands Before Congress.
He Has Been q Leader in All Reform
Movements and Has the Con-
Adence of the People.

Mr.. Ed. Torose of Honolulu. president of
the Hawaiian commission to the Greater
American exposition at Omaha, writes to
The Star in reference to William Owen
Smith. who has just been selected by the
| republic of Hawaii to represent the islands
in this city during the coming session of
Congress.
Mr.. Torose says that Mr. Smith is one of
the tried, trusted, best-known and ablest
public men of the new territory. His mis-
sion will be to answer questions bearing on
legislation to be enacted for the purpose of
extending the American system to the mid
Pacific. AT present Hawaii has merely the
protection of the United States. The stars
and stripes were raised there on August II.
1898, but the old order obtains with Presi-
dent Dole and his cabinet at the head of
affairs till the enabling act already pre-
pared becomes law.
The special ambassador to Washington
was born in the islands a little less than
fifty years ago. After finishing with the
schools down there~he attended an Ameri-
can university, took up the law and was
admitted to practice before all the courts
of the state of California Mr.. Smith was
for short time sheriff of of the Is
lands, but resigned to join the reform party
or opposition to the crown, and for nearly
twenty years was member of the legiSla-
ture. During all of that time he was with
of a few men like Mr.. PresidenD Dole,
| succeeded in accomplishing much. In those
days, up to late in the eighties, the whole
of the membership of the house of mobiles
tsenate) was appointed by the crown. About
all the political power was in the hands of
the king. He appointed his ministers. who
could only be removed at his pleasure or
by vote of want of confidence on the
part of two-thirda of the legislature. AS
many of the representatives had been as
sisted to their seats either by the king di-
rect or by mobiles, and as one man could
then hold any number of offices, the minor
ity had a cheeringly hard row to hoe.
Leader In Reform Movements.
Mr.. Smith was one of the leaders in
every reform movements. He is agrees
sive, but his remarkable traits are clever
ness at debate and great tenacity of pur
pose. He is a tall. swarthy, handsome man
of charming manners, suave on occasion,
but on other occasion eXasperatingly stub
born. Mr.. Smith understands the native
Hawaiian thoroughly and he is certainly
one of the very best friends of the
He speaks the native language fluently and
has the confidence of the people.
Most of the meetings preliminary to the
concerted movement which resulted in the
overthrow of monarcy. January II. 1893.
were held at the down town law office of
w. O. Smith, less than 400 feet from the
police station. Mr.. Smith and his friends
We're being watched closely all the time by
wonder always has been that they
not summarily treated. They were armed
and determined. but weak in numbers.
1t is only a few months ago that Mr.
Smith left the cabinet. He had tecn the
attorney general from January II, 1893.
He was a regular glutton for cork. When
mere boy Mr.. Smith organized what is
now the Planters Labor and Supply Com
pany He edited the monthly organ of the
planters and for a time III daily news
paper work. In the division of the civil
service work the attorney general in the
Islands Is legal advisor to the government
and all its officers, is ar the head of the
police department. with a marshal for ex-
ecutive officer, and finally holds the respon-
sible post of president of the BOARD of
health. Mr.. Smith pArfo-me all his duties
with such intelligence, thoroughness and
honesty that his resignation was accept
ed with reluctance by President Dole and
associates and deeply regretted by all the
citizens of the country. While in ot!ice ne
went out to Hong Kong ami Yokohama TO
study quarantine regulations and to New
Zealand to study land transfer and -i,llOr
license systems.
AS Mr.. Smith was a stalwrrt in the over
throw of '93. so was he one Of the chiefs IN
suppressing the rebellion Of 1895. His con-
troll of the police department and the re-
markable degree of efficiency which cb-
tanned in that bureau. gave ;he country a
well-drilled force supplemental to the reg
ular army. Mr.. Smith believed in hitting
hard at the time of a crisis bu VIXEN once
the natives in rebellion were su5Jued the
attorney general was among the first TO
set about for reconstruction.
Stamping Out the Cholera.
Perhaps the most signal service Mr..
Smith ever performed for the islands was
late in the summer of 1898. when the
Asiatic cholera was brought 20 the Port of
Honolulu from the orient. As president of
the board of health, Mr.. Smith called for
the aid of citizens of all races an( classes
and was the father of he system of in
spection was cleansing which stamped out
the disease in three weeks, with Il loss of
but eighty lives. AT first tine natives We're
panic stricken. hut their confidence in the
president Of The board of heal-h caused
them TO permit the services Of foreigners.
No man in the islands knows ,he epers of
Molokai as does Mr.. Smith. In his official
capacity he has visited the settlement twice
81 year since 1882, and he mas made may
trips on his own account. It MIR.
Smith who introduced the system OF hay
ing the afflicted present their grievances in
regular form at any time. /, is thus that
any leper may have the fullest herring
frequently. The condition of tbs unfortu-
nates has been greatly i'm proved since III:
Smith was manager of he place AMI his
name is held almost in reverence.
The great regret of the life of Mr.. Smith
Is the death of his brother, Or. Jared n.
Smith, assassinated by two Iiawaiians OF
Malay blood. DR.. Jared n. Smith had been
a firm. constant and sef-slcriiieing friend
of all the natives and lost mis- life for llag-
nosing case of leprosy. Attorney General
Smith would have not the least thing to
do with the prosecution Of the criminals
but one man was hanged and the other is
serving life sentence
In the first delegate from Hawaii the
pubic men at Washington with whom Mr.
Smith comes into contact TIll find a gen
tleman worthy any state il, the Union a
practical, capable man. hut IL total stranger
TO the trimming and jobb!rg known so
we'll to the politicians of he mainland
THE DREYEIS XERlICT