The Portland daily press., 1882-06-23
Cabinet in Congress.
willard Brown in Atlantic.l

lldru DIuhn LII <Abidibicsl
Our President and Cabinet, if not the only
are at least the most conspicuous example in
the history of representative government, of
an executive which is unable, either person.
ally or by means of an official representative,
to explain the wants of its different depart
ments in the legislative branch of the govern
ment The general of the Achaian League
was commonly the leader of the Federal AS
sembly, the Spartan kings addressed the body
of Spartan citizens, the Roman consuls led
both the Senate and the Popular Assembly,
and the Duke of Venice could speak in the
Great Council. The members of the Swiss
Federal Council can speak in either Of the
Swiss legislative bodies, though they have no
vote therein; and the members of the Confed-
crate cabinet exercised nearly the same privl-
leges with success. In England, France, Ger
many, Austria, Italy, members of the ministry
sit in one or the other of the two legislative
bodies.
The disadvantages of the unique lack of di-
rect connection between the executive and
legislative branches of the United States were
not so apparent in the early days of our consti-
tuition; but as the extent and duties of the
government increase, the disadvantages be-
come proportiolally conspicuous. Prominent
among them is the fact that Congress legis-
lates on insufficient information. So complex
and extended have the huge departments be-
come. that they are unknown worlds to men,
bers of Congress. So conflicting and ineffi-
Gent is the mass of congressional legislation
concerning the executive branch of the gov
RI tho hQqdg of dnDartm9Ctg nave
ACQUIRED such extended power in the construc-
tion and execution of laws that in executing
those laws they can often defeat their spirit.
If member of the Cabinet desires that
certain bill shall be passed, for the pest WORK
ing of his department, he is seldom able TO &C
complish his purpose. Animal reports and
special messages to Congress receive only little
attention, and members of the Cabinet are
forced either to allow their department. to go
to the bad, or SO to execute the existing laws
as to obtain the practical result OF laws winch
thew desire Almost necessarily, therefore, the
executive branch has increased its prerogetlves
and has encroached upon the domain OF the
legislative until it has become by far the most
important part of our national government.
Moreover, we have no convenient method Dy
which members of Congress can call heads OF
Departments to account for corruption, delin-
ouencv or abuses in their offices. A commit
tee to investigate the conduct OF Cabinet OH.
Ger is appointed only for grave odenses; all
Dut the mOSG uaSraub dpubCp 1lO PoooOo ofSAt
and Congress comes to look upon the faults OF
the executive with the same Indifference with
which the latter looks on the incompetency OF
the former. Each throws all blame upon the
other; each, ON account of the impossibility OF
improving the other, becomes careless and
reckless; the country runs into evil, and the
people, unable to fix the responsibility for gen
eral mismanagement, look on our national leg
islation with indifference and even disgust.
In we'll regulated government the execu-
tive and legislative branches should have the
same general and specific aims, and should be
actuated by the same spirit and enthusiasm;
therwise the faithful execution OF the laws is
5posible. Harmony between Congress and
the national executive is thus essential to the
best working of our government, and at pres
emit such harmony is too often the effect of &C
cident.
The disadvantages and dangers OF the pres
emit system are yearly increasingly The re-
cent improvements in the means of communi-
cation have enabled all species of organiZa-
tions to exist on grander scale than formerly
AS result the executive departments OF the
government have become wonderfully extend
ed and complicated; they are rapidly coming
more into the control of experts, and their
management is growing more and more mys-
terious to Congress and the people. Affairs IN
this age are conducted with such rush that