Daily Republican., 1882-05-13
WASHINGTON LETTER,
AORE CABINET GOSSIP. - Mr.,
CONKLIN0 A0AIN.-OEPAkT.
MENT OF AGRICULTURE.
From our Regular Correspondent.

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WASHINGTON, d. G., May IS, 1889.
There has been considerable gossip
during the week relative to q very i'm
portant change In the Cabinet. 1t Is
said that the President wishes to have
Mr.. Conkling at the head of his
Cabinet, and that the present Secretary
Of State, Mr.. Frelinghuysen is to. be
sent to England as successor to Mr..
Lowell, and that Mr.. Conkling is to
take his place. II this change is in
tended, it will have to be made soon,
because both appointments must be
confirmed by the Senate, which will
not remain long in session.
The Senate is we'll up with its work,
and, II the House were equally forward,
there would be no reason for continu-
ing the session longer than until the
middle Of June. The families of some
Senators and members have already
departed for their homes or for summer
resorts, though, as yet, we have had
very little Of the "ethasia! mildness"
that poets attribute to this season Of
the year.
A bill making the Agricultural De-
partment one Of the Executive Depart
ments Of the Government, passed the
House on Wednesday by q very large
majority, and, if this bill passes tie
Senate, asit Is thought 1t will do, the
Commissioner of Agriculture will be.
come member Of the Cabinet, with
the title of Secretary of Agriculture.
Who will be promoted to the new Cabi.
net office, in case this bill becomes a
law, has not yet become the subject of
much speculation. The present head
of the Bureau is very popular, but
there will no doubt be other applicants
for the place with it's enhanced dignity.
The Cabinet Of the President now
consists of seven members, having
charge respectively, Of tho war, navy,
state, treasury, interior, justice, and
post office departments. Some other
civilized countries have twelve execu-
tive departn ents, comprising besides
the above named divisions, agricul-
ture, education, commerce., manufac.
lures, and public works..
There is bill before Congress ap-
propriating $40, 100000 for purposes Of
education, to be distributed TO the sew.
eral States and Territories in proper
tion to their illiteracy as shown by the
late census.
Ifthis bill shall be passed, 1t will be
step toward the assumption by the
Federal Govern ment of the educational
function that Is now divided by the
public school system of the various
States, and, at no distant day, we may
have another Cabinet Officer, to be
known as the Secretary of Public In.
struction. There could be much said
for and against such measure. The
old question Of State Rights would be
revived. The demon Of Capitalization
would be paraded by the press, and on
the stump; but if the big leviathian
Jumbo establishment, known as the
Government Printing Office, could
only be used to print cheap arithmetics
and spoilers, instead Of tho millions of
useless documents now thrown out.
l think the country would profit by
IL. At least one advantage would be
gained by the consolidation Of our hy-
dra-headed educational system. A u nj.
form set Of text books would be intro
duced throughout this broad land, and
homogeneous method of instruction
and expression, inculcated in youth,
would tend to the destruction of local
prejudice and promote the sentiment
Of national cohesion. Another advan-
tage would be that school book agents
would die of starvation.