The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-18
Postmaster General Gives Up His
Portfolio to Resume Duties AS
Editor of The Philadelphia
Press
PAYNE OF WISCONSIN
WILL SUCCEED HIM
His Name Will Go Before the Sen
ate For Confirmation Immedi-
ateIy After the HoIidays-No
Other Changes In the Cabinet
Are Contemplated

Washington, Dec. 17.-Charles Emery
Smith of Philadelphia has rendered to
the President his formal resignation as
postmaster general to take effect
early next month"; and Henry C. Payne
of wisconsin. vice chairman of the Re-
publican National Committee, has ac
cepted the tender of the office, to
which he will be nominated immedi-
ately after the holiday recess. Mr.
Smith has agreed to remain until Jan.
| Is, if necessary, but will return i'm
mediately thereafter to Philadelphia to
resume the editorship of the Philadel-
| pha Press.
This change in the cabinet was
| formally announced at todays session
Of the cabinet. All of the members of
the cabinet expressed their profound
| regret and the President paid a very
| impressive tribute to the services and
| personality of the retiring member of
| his official family He said that he
! had sought to persuade Mr.. Smith to
alter his determination and to remain
! in the cabinet, but without success,
/ and he had finally accepted Mr.
| Smiths reasons as decisive.
| Mr. 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. Mr. Smith,
! however, had been frequently remind
| ed by his business associates of the
editorial 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 afternoon last formally
rendered to the President the following
letter Of resignation:
Washington, Dec. IA, 1901.
my Dear Mr. President: Fol-
lowing my verbal communication
of some time ago, beg to tender
my resignation to the office of post
master general, to take effect at
your early convenience. on the ap-
pointment and qualification Of my
successor.
This step is taken in fulfllment
of a plan long since formed, for
purely personal reasons, the execu-
tion of which has been delayed
until it could be carried out with
out embarrassing your declared
policy and until the department
measures in which l am deeply in
terested could be satisfactorily ad
Vanced and assured.
In laying down the trust COM
mitted to my hands I want to
thank you most sincerely for the
confidence you have reDosed in me
and for the great pleasure I have
/, found in an association which has
deepened my esteem for you per-
sonalIy and my admiration for the
spirit and aims of your admins
tratiOn.
with my best wishes that you
may have the largest measure Of
success, I remain.
Faithfully yours,
"(signeO
CHARLES EMORY SMITH.
ITO the President"
Mr. Smith delayed the formal tender
until the President had chosen his
successor. Mr.. Payne is now at his
home in Wisconsin His name will go
into the Senate for confirmation 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 in
the cabinet are at present contem-
plated Mr.. Smith has been postmas-
j ter general since April 81, 1898 sue
ceeding James A. Gary Of Maryland,
virtually at the outset of the Spanish
war Mr. Gary had been one of Presl-
dent McKinley's original cabinet APP
pointees, but felt himself physically
unable to bear the strain of cabinet
duties during the war.
All of the assistant postmasters gen.
eral were summoned by Mr.. Smith
late this afternoon and his announce
ment of the change was a distinct sur
prise to them. He gave assurance
that his action meant no changes
among his assistants