He championed popular education and recommended the homestead policy to the national government, and from his sympathy with the working classes and his oft-avowed pride in his former calling he became known as the " mechanic governor."
The territorial legislature of 1907 established the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts of the Territory of Hawaii, and also founded a public library.
On the western border of the city is Pullen Park (about 40 acres), including the campus of the College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts;.