Charles Emory Smith

Charles Emory Smith ( born February 18, 1842 in Mansfield, Connecticut, † January 19, 1908 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American journalist and politician ( Republican), who belonged to the Cabinet of the United States from 1898 to 1902 as Postmaster General.

Life and career

In 1849 Charles Smith moved with his parents in the state of New York, where the family was established in Albany. He attended the public schools and a private school. In 1861 he graduated from Union College in Schenectady. With the start of the civil war he entered the service of the Union Army, and belonged to the staff of General John F. Rathbone as a recruiting officer. In this position he was able to bring his writing talent to bear.

After he had from 1862 to 1865 worked as a teacher at the Albany Academy, his former school, he hit a career as a journalist. From 1865 to 1870 he was editor of the Albany Express; then he moved to Albany Journal, as its editor in chief, he served from 1876 to 1880. During this time he was 1879-1880 and member of the teaching staff of the University of the State of New York. Finally he took over in 1880 the editor post at the Philadelphia Press, where he remained intermittently until his death. This newspaper was as well as the Albany Journal, a member of the Republican Party.

Politics and public offices

As a Republican, Smith was active at the state and national level. So he stood at the State Convention in New York City 1874-1880 with the exception of 1877 each of the Resolutions Committee before; In 1879 he was president of the Congress. He also served as a delegate to numerous Republican National Conventions. Especially in the years 1876 and 1896 he was present at much political guideline.

From 1890 to 1892 Smith served as United States ambassador in Russia. Given the rampant famine there at the time he initiated a program of assistance for the suffering population. The provided food and other aid had a value of approximately $ 750,000.

After his return from Russia, he worked again as an editor before U.S. President William McKinley in 1898 brought him as postmaster general in his cabinet. During his tenure, he made himself especially to the Rural Delivery Service deserves the delivery service for the rural areas. Criticism, however, he pulled up, there were under his leadership within the Ministry corrupt practices of the day, as it turned out later.

President McKinley was assassinated in September 1901. Under his successor, Theodore Roosevelt, Charles Emory Smith remained until January 1902 in the Official before with Henry C. Payne, a successor was appointed. Smith died in 1908.

Pictures of Charles Emory Smith

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