years' control of the postal interests of the United States, Mr. Smith did much to improve the operation of the department, especially in its new feature of rural free delivery, which received a large development under his supervision.
These are the leading events of Mr. Smith's career. What is the significance of that career? What influences molded the man? In a word, for what does his life stand? As a boy he had excellent advantages of education; as a young man, he was at once brought into active relation with public events. In his youthful years he had been much more given to study than to sport, and was especially fond of historical reading, and particularly of American history. In his school life we find pronounced indications of his native bent, in his editorial work while still a school boy, in his interest in college politics, and in his precocious editorial proclivities. That his profession would be that of a journalist, and that he would mingle largely in public events in later life, seemed foretold in these early influences, studies and inclinations. He was thrown into the current of political life from the period of his boyish editorial venture. And so clearly did he see the trend of the political forces of the time, and so wisely did he contribute to them and guide them, that he reached some of the highest positions in the gift of the nation, and used his opportunities and his powers for the good of the nation.
As regards the conditions and limitations of his career we cannot do better than to quote from words spoken by himself: "If I have fallen below what I might have done (and this is surely true) I think it due to an easy disposition to be satisfied without coming up to my own standards. Every man has his limitations, greater or less, but he ought in the long run to measure up to his own best."
The truth of this remark by no means applies especially to Mr. Smith. It is true of most men.
The essentials of success, in his view, are a well-ordered life, in which one does his best instead of being content to do fairly well, concentrates his labors instead of wasting his forces in scattered efforts, and devotes himself to constant instead of intermittent work in his chosen field of life-labor.
Mr. Smith's standing in the public life of the nation has been recognized by college honors from several sources. Union college, his alma mater, conferred on him in 1889 the honorary degree of LL.D.; and this degree was also given him by Lafayette college in
