, 1889-01-17
EXECUTIVE WORK.
noH It Is Divided Into departments IN
the United States

Tho great mass of work imposed
upon the executive power of the gov
misunderstanding so many distinct
subjects and requiring 50 many thou
and OF agents 10 pCrfOrm-must be
arranged and treated in M orderly and
systematic manner. To cNpect the
president to give it his close personal
attention and directly supcrintend the
doinEs of each agent would be absurd.
Tho magnitude and diversity OF the
work demand its separation into parts,
and the general supervision or manage
lnent OF each part must be intrustcd to
a separate officer.
On this business basis and in accord
nee with the design Of tho coustitus
ton congress has divided the work
among seven executive departments,
each in charge OF IA general officer, or
head Of department, known respect
lively rs the secretary of state, the sec
rotary of the treasury, the secretary of
war, the attorney general, the post
master general, the secretary Of the
navy and the SECRETARY of the interior;
and the work Of each department is
still further subdividCd and distributed
nmong bureaus and divisions and
minor Offices, in charge of lesser heads
or chiefs, designated rs commissioners,
superintendent, directors and by vari-
GUS other general or special titles An
executive department, then, properly
means ono OF the grand divisions of
government work boldly marked out
or suggested by the express provisions
Of the constitution
These grand divisions readily mr.
range themselves. The sovereign re
lations OF the republic with foreign
powers, and its official intercourse
with the governments Of the states at
home may be regarded rs one distinct
grand division; accordingly we have
the department Of state. The coinage,
currency, rcyenue and general fiscal
affairs suggest another great branch Of
work hence we have the department
Of the treasury. The mention of
armies suggests work that in timo Of
trouble is likely TO tax tho energy of a
separate division; thus We very ap
propriatcly have n department of war.
The prosecution Of oifenses against
the United States, and other judicial
matters wherein tho interests Of the
republic are concerned constitute n
general division, represented by the
department of justice. The postal
81 ~ rs bAAt " AAlt lllb5l llllIlGilt
and important branches Of government
work, certainly forms another grand
division; therefore we have the post.
office department. Maritime protec.
ton, like the military or land defense,
forms n separate division; and thus
we have the department of the navy.
The various matters of domestic con
Germ not covered in these other dc
partments but contemplated by the
constitution, such ms the census, public
lands, patents and odds and ends, may
be conveniently grouped into another
general division; and thus we have
the very miscellaneous, yet not mis-
named, department of the interior.
To some of these executive depart
ments are intrusted matters which, on
their face at least, do not strictly be-
long to the grand division to which
they have been assigned by law. For
instance, the weather bureau is a bu-
roau Of the war department; the work
being infinitely connected with the
peaceful interests OF agriculture and
commerce, it is. very generally de
minded that it should DO taken from
military control and placed elsewhere.
st. Nicholas.