Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-13

1
Isted in the conduct OF the business
| which had formed so important a part
of his life. He continued Ills editorial
| work even after he was confined TO his
house, his last contribution to the Re-
porter being an editorial on the death
OF John Hay in the issue Of July 9Th.
In the quarter of 4 century that Mr.
Smith retained control of the Reporter
the Journal has been enlarged and i'm
proved and the property has Increased
greatly in value. These changes in the
local newspaper nave Lcen no less
marked than the development of Skow-
| he gan in the same period. AS editor OF
| the Reporter, il was Mr. Smiths GUS
tom from time to time 20 summarize
the growth OF the town, 2ecmins 1T i'm
portant that full recognition should be
given to those who were contributing 10
| the Material betterment Of SkOWhegan.
As citizen as well as editor he was
himself strongly identified with every
public movement and the success Of
his paper AS a local organ has been
largely due TO this endeavOr to lead
| public opinion in everything that prom
| Used to benefit the community.
l
the principal improvements in Show
| hogan since 1878. The Public Library,
three of the six churches, three hotels,
| the Maine Central station, freight
| house, and round house. the addition
| TO the Court House, the county Jail,
| the Grange Hall and the new engine
| house constitute the greater portion OF
our public buildings, while the erec-
tion of the shoe factory, pulp mill,
canning factory, MarstOn wOrsted
mill. and the enlargement of the An
derson wooden mill have contributed
no less largely to the industrial pros
perity of the town. The best business
| blocks have all been erected since that
date and even the buildings standing
| on Water and Madison streets in 1878,
| like the Reporter block itself, have
been so rcmOdeled as to be scarcely
| recognizable and it can truly be said
| that no New England village has i'm
proved more in this respect. The in
| PRODUCTION of electric lights. telephone
| service, the electric road, the sewer
and water systems, the construction of
| macadamiZcd streets and three iron
| bridges, one of which cannot be eX-
| celled in the State, and the beautify-
ing Of Coburn Park, indicate the de-
velopment Of this town during this
era.
Both in his editorial and personal
capacity. MIR. Smith was even more
! interested in the intellectual and
moral activities of the community.
He possessed n high ideal as to the
| responsibilities Of n journalist and in
| tended to have the influence of the
Reporter count on the right side of
every question. Early in life he
| joined the Free Baptist church of
Hodgdon. and later became n member
of the Bethany Baptist church of
Skowhegan of which he was a deacon
at the time of his death.
Mr.. Smiths interest in politics con-
| stituted an important part Of his life.
| He was secretary of the Republican
| State Committee from 1876 to 1880,
when Hon. James G. Blaine was it's
| chairman. and considered it a privi-
lege to. have been associated with
that great leader. From 1890 to 1902
he served continuously on the State
Committee as the member for SOM
erset county. AS an organizer of the
party work, he gave the same atten-
ton to detail as he was accustomed
to give in public or private business
He never felt it safe to consider a
campaign finished until election day, |
and his efforts to maintain a substan-
tial Republican majority in Somerset |
county have been rightly termed in
defatigable. In the words of one who |
had been politically associated with |
Mr.. Smith, he was "a stalwart Repub- |
liCan, and neither he nor the paper he !
so ably edited, ever wavered in the |
steadfast support accorded Republican |
candidates and policies. He was loyal |
man. devoted TO the principles he es-
poused. and entirely without sham or
pretence." Even in the heat of party |
contests. Mr.. Smiths fairness did not
permit him to overlook or disregard |
the rights and opinions of those of a |
different political faith. On this
account he enjoyed to an exceptional |
degree the confidence and respect Of |
his fellow citizens who voted the
Democratic ticket. The last public
office held by Mr.. Smith was that of |
Presidential elector at large in 1900.
AS the Maine electors met at AMI
earlier hour than those Of other
states. and Mr.. Smith was the first to
vote. he considered that he had the
honor TO throw the first vote ever
cast for Theodore Roosevelt as a can
didate for a national office.
Mr.. Smith was q. man of scholarly
tastes. in recognition of which the
honorary degree of Master of Arts
was conferred upon him in 1893 by
Colby College, at the time when his
son received the degree of A. B. from
the same institution. AS a newspaper
writer. he possessed the qualities of
clearness and painstaking regard for
accuracy. In his business relations.
he considered promptness in meeting
every obligation as prime requisite,
and to this may be attributed his sue
cess in at once establishing the Re-
porter ON business basis and maxi
ing 1t model county newspaper i'm
many respects. For several years he
had been director I'm the Second
National Bank. where hts conserva-
tism and wise council counted to the
credit of that institution.
Mr. smith was married March II.