and more
especially in the island of Negros, where he had earned the good
will of the Filipinos by his tact and kindness. Later he had served,
unwillingly, as head of the Manila custom house.

He was subsequently made a justice of the supreme court of the
Philippines. A lawyer by profession, he had resigned this position
with regret to accept appointment, on January 1, 1903, as secretary
of public instruction. He did not desire the governor-generalship and
made a strong but unsuccessful effort to avoid accepting the position,
which he finally took from a sense of duty. He was a good lawyer,
with a big heart, and a keen insight into human nature. He thoroughly
understood the Filipinos, and he made an excellent governor-general. It
was during his term of office that the Philippine Legislature,
composed of an upper appointive house, the Philippine Commission,
and a lower elective house, the Philippine Assembly, met for the
first time on October 16, 1907.

I devote a separate chapter [478] to the Philippine Legislature and
its work, so need not discuss it here. Suffice it to say that such
success as attended the work of this body during its inaugural, first
and special sessions, was very largely due to the tactful influence
of Governor-General Smith, who gave the speaker of the assembly
much valuable, friendly counsel, and kept the two houses working in
comparative harmony. Having struggled through one session of the
legislature, Governor-General Smith felt at liberty to resign. He
greatly desired to leave the Philippine government service and return
to the practice of his profession. His resignation was reluctantly
accepted, about a year after he had tendered it, and he left the
service on November 10, 1909.

He was succeeded by Vice-Governor W. Cameron Forbes, a republican
from Massachusetts, who had accepted appointment as secretary of
commerce and police on June 15, 1904. A man of independent means,
Mr. Forbes entered the public service only because of the opportunity
for greater usefulness which was thus afforded him. He brought to
bear on the problems which confronted him as secretary of commerce
and police intelligence and ability of a very high order. Wide
practical experience in the management of large business interests
had admirably fitted him to improve the organization and increase the
efficiency of the insular police force, and to mature and carry out
plans for bettering means of communication and otherwis