The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1912-07-17
H. KNOX SMITH QUITS,
TO HELP ROOSEVELT
Commissioner Of Corporations
Tells Taft He Will Support
Progressive Parity
WAS IN "TENNIS CABINET"
lie will Have Charge Of Colo.
nel's Campaign In Connecti-
cut and Act as Adviser.

WARRINGTON. July l0.-fn order that
he may be free to support Col Roosevelt
for the Presidency Herbert Knox Smith,
Commissioner OF Corporations. to-day
forwarded his resi- gnation to President
Taft
The announcement that Mr.. Smith had
decided to quit the public service did not
excite surprise in official circles. II has
been known for some time that Com
missioner Smith was restive and that in
due season he would enter actively into
the campaign in behalf Of Col Roosevelt.
Mr.. Smith was member Of the tennis
cabinet" in the Roosevelt administration
The .tennis cabinet" was made up Of
several young men placed in Office by Mr.
Roosevelt. Among them were James X,
Garfield. Clifford Pinchot. Lawrence o.
Murray. now Comptroller of the Cur
rency. and Mr.. Smith.
Mr. Smith succeeded to the Office of
Commissioner OF Corporations on the
advancement in 1877 Of his chief. Mr..
Garfield. to the post OF Secretary OF the
Interior. Mr.. Smith had be"n Deputy Com
missioner. His skill on the tennis court
brought him into notice.
Mr. Smith entered the public service
as an assistant in the law bureau OF the
Department Of Commerce and Labor.
His ability as an athlete soon attracted
the attention OF President Roosevelt
and Mr. Smith was advanced through
successive grades until he was placed
at the head Of the bureau of corpora
tions.
Mr. Smith will take n prominent part
in furtherins the Roosevelt third party
movement. He will have charge OF the
campaign in Connecticut and act az one
OF the advisers in the conduct OF the
Roosevelt fight in New England generally.
In his letter to the President the Com
missioner OF Corporations did not mnce
words. He said it was his purpose TO
support the progressive movement and
the new progressive party"
Col Roosevelt knew that Mr.. Smith
intended to quit the bureau Of corpors-
tions. A week or no ago the Commissioner
went to Oyster bay. die told the Colonel
that he wanted to retire in order that he
might enter the campaign, took the oath
Of allegiance and was duly enrolled as a
member Of the third party.
MIR Smiths letter TO the President reads
as follows;
have the honor to o ffer hereby my rcsig-
nation a. Commissioner OF Corporations
in the Department Of Commerce and Labor.
to take effect at the close Of business July
Is, 1912.
do so because | intend to support the
progressive movement and the new progress
sve party. That movement includes the
principles that ! believe in. that have
earnestly tried to further so far a. could
during my term OF Federal service.
feel that the new party represents these
principles more directly and with more
promise and power OF performance than
either the Republican or Democratic par
ties.
thrust that you will pardon this ex precision
OF my personal views. II seems only cour-
teous that should state to you the reasons
for my action.
wish to retire from ONCE as soon as prac-
'icable. and ! believe that by July is ! can
close up my Official work as TO leave the
bureau with no substantial lapse in its oper-
ations
Mr. Smith will leave Washington for
Oyster Bay Thursday night. He will con-
fer with Col. Roosevelt and place himself
at the disposal Of the third party candi-
date.
Luther Conant. Jr.. Of New York will
succeed Mr.. Smith at the head OF the
bureau Of corporations Mr.. Conant now
holds the position OF Deputy Commits
Siopnr