Evening star., 1908-01-20

at Albany, taught in that school for a
short time and then entered Union Col
lege with the class of 81.
Immediately upon his graduation Mr.
Smith followed his ambition to enter the
newspaper field and got small place on
the Albany Express, then the chief sup
porting organ in Albany OF Gov. Fenton
Passing through the apprentice stage OF
newspaper work very rapidly, the young
man severed his connection with the Ex-
press in 1865, after he had become one of
its editors. and assumed the position of
editor-in-chief of the Journal, with in
terest in the paper
1t was in his capacity of director of the
policy OF this paper that Mr.. Smith be-
gan to take a large part in state politics
The Journal was at that time known as
the state paper it carried that title
on it's front sheet, and large part of its
| business prosperity was due to the exclu-
siye contracts it held for the state print
ing AS editor of the paper Mr.. Smith
began to be power in state conventions
and it was he who wrote state platforms
for republican conventions for several sue
cessive years until 1880 when he refused
| to write the New York state platform adj
vocatin2 a third term for President Grant
Friend of Blaine and Conkling.
| 1t was at this time that Mr.. Smith be-
| came a close friend both of James c.
Blaine and Roscoe Conkling. At the time
of their quarrel he took no sides. and sue
ceeded in retaining the friendship of both
He once said that ConlSlin5 had many
times. Offered him his choice of political
preferment in the shape of seat in Con
greSs or a high place in the state ad-
ministratiOn. but that his interests were
all wrapped up in the conduct of his news
paper and he desired no office.
When in 1876 Blaine tried to get the
support of Mr.. Smith and the Journal for
his candidacy for t'c presidency he had
to decline on the score of his party af-
filiations. which We're at that time all with
Conkling and the organic branch of the
regular republican party in the state Be
cause the strife between Blaine and
Conkling made the position OF the Jour
nal somewhat precarious and because of.
the inducement of superior opportunities
Mr.. Smith decided in 1880 to accept the
place of editor of the Philadelphia Press.
The activity he had displayed in New
York state politics and in national affairs
he was a delegate to the national con
vention in 1s76-gave Mr.. Smith promi-
nent political standing in PHILADELPHIA
He became q delegate to the national
republican convention in 1855. and had a
there adopted. He did not lose interest
and influence in New York politics dur
ing the first ten years of his incumbency
Of the editorial chair on the Press.
Goes to Cars Court.
In 1890 Blaine brought his influence to
bear upon President Harrison to select
Mr. Smith to fill the pest of minister to
Russia after the editor of the Press had
himself gone to Washington to urge the
appointment of President Harrison of the
University of Pennsylvania to the same
post President Benjamin Harrison gave
Mr. Smith the ST. Petersburg mission a
position which he held for two years. Then
he returned to take up his editorial work
In 1898 when Postmaster General Gary
resigned from President McKineys caoi-
net the President offered the portfolio to
Mr. Smith and he accepted the offer. He
resigned from the cabinet December II.
1901 and within few months he became
involved in the post Office scandal that
centered about the names of George w
Beavers and A. W. Machen and the mail
pouch and patent letter box contracts
Postmaster General Payne, who succeeded
Mr.. Smith. received report from Sey-
mour w Tulloch. who had been dismissed
from the position of cashier of the Wash
ington. D. c.. post office charging Mr..
Smith with having suppressed an investi-
cation into the affairs of First Assistant
Postmaster General Perry Heath's Office.
1 This drew an angry reply 70 Tuiloch
from the former head of the Post Office
Department. 1T was not until the investi-
CATION ordered by President Roosevelt
into the whole subject of alleged post Of
fee irregularities had been completed that
the bitterness of charge and recrimna-
ton between the editor of the Press and
some of the prominent people at Wash
ington died down.
After his retirement from the cabinet
Mr. Smith led active editorial life up
to the time of his death. He made fre-
quent appearances as a public speaker
and he was more than once a confiden-
btfal visitor to the White House.
Mr. Smith was twice married. His first
wife, who was Ella Huntley of Albany.
he married June 80. 1863. She died at
Block Island, r. l.. August 10, 1906. Mr..