The San Francisco call., 1901-12-18
SMITH LEAVES
THE CABINET
The Postmaster-G
Resigns His High
Position.
President Roosevelt Selects a
Wisconsin Man for
Office.

WASHINGTON, Dec. II. - Charles
Emory Smith OF Philadelphia has ten
dered to the President his formal resigna-
ton as Postmaster-General,t to take effect
early next month, and Henry c. Payne Of
Wisconsin, vice-chairmap of the Repub-
lican National Committee, has accepted
the tender of the offfee, to which he will
be nominated Immediately after the hol1-
day recess. Smith has agreed to remain
return ret III immeGiateiv i t tbeTeafter 70 Phiiadei @
ph1a to resume the editorship of the Phil
adelphia Press.
This change was formally announced at
to-days session of the Cabinet. All the
members of the Cabinet expressed their
regret and the President paid a tribute to
the services and personality of the retir-
ing member of his official family. He said
that he had sought TO persuade Smith to
alter his determination and to remain in
the Cabinet, but without success, and he
had finally accepted Smiths reasons as
decisive.~
Smith first announced to the President
the latter part of last month that he had
decided to return to his editorial duties.
The President at that time urged him to
remain. Smith, however, had been fire.
quently reminded by his business associ-
ates of the duties devolving upon him, and
was anxious to return to them He had
several talks with President Roosevelt on
the subject, and finally on Saturday after
noon last formally rendered to the Presi-
dent the following letter of resignation:
WASHlNGION, ID. e., Dec. Ii, l9U1.
My Dear Mr.. President: Following my YER
bal communication Of some time ago, i beg to
tender my resignation of the office Of Post
master General to take effect at your early
convenience on the appointment and qualihca-
ton of my successor. This step Is taken in
fulhllment of a plan long since formed for
purely personal reasons, the execution OF
which has been delayed until it could be
ried out without embarrassing your declared
policy and until department measures In
which I deeply interested could be salts
factorily advanced and assured
In laying down the trust committed to my
hands want to thank you most sincerely for
the confidence you have reposed in me, and for
the great pleasure 1 have found in an asso-
citation which has deepened my esteem for you
personally and my admiration for the spirit and
aims of your administration. With my best
wishes that you may have the largest measure
Of success, I remain faithfully yours,
CHARLES EMORY SMITH.
Smith delayed the formal tender until
the President had chosen his successor.
Payne Is now at his home in Wisconsin.
His name will go into the Senate for con-
firmation the first week Of January. He Is
expected to be ready to take charge Of the
Office by the middle Of next month at the
latest. 1t is stated that no other changes
III the Cabinet are at present contem-
plated.
Smith has been General
since April 21, 1885, succeeding James A.
Gary of Maryland, virtually at the outset
of the Spanish war. Gary had been one
Of President McKinley's original Cabinet
appointees, but felt himself physically un-
able to bear the strain of Cabinet duties
during the war.