Smith was appointed as Secretary of the Interior by Cleveland in 1893 . He worked hard to right land patents previously obtained by the railroads , for rationalization of Indian affairs and for the economic development of the South . A staunch defender of Cleveland and his sound money policy , Smith campaigned throughout the country in 1896 for Cleveland candidates . When William Jennings Bryan was selected at the 1896 Democratic National Convention , Smith was in a quandary : could he support the party without supporting the platform ? The overwhelming support for silver and Bryan in his home state of Georgia convinced him to try to have it both ways . His newspaper , the '' Journal '' , endorsed the candidate but continued to denounce the silver policy . Smith resigned his cabinet post to protect Cleveland
1896 Democratic National Convention
1896 Democratic National Convention
M. Hoke Smith