Judge Ide was a republican, from Vermont.

He resigned on September 19, 1906.
He was succeeded by General James F.Smith, a democrat from California, who had come to the islands as a colonel of volunteers, and had won promotion because of his valuable services in the Visayas, 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.