Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-02-15
UNCLE SANS GOVERNMENT.
A DescrIption OF the Executive Powers oi
the Different Departments

4 Description of the Executive fo"e'7 "a
the Different Departments
The great mass of work imposed
upon the Executive Power OF the uo'-
Misunderstanding so many dlstlnct
subjects, and requiring so many thoh-
sands OF agents to perform must De ar
ranged and treated in an orderly ana
systematic manner. To expect the
President to give it his close personal
attention and directly superlntend the
doings of each agent, would be absurd.
The magnitude and diversity OF the
work demand its separation into parts
and the general supervision or manage
ment OF each part must be intrusted TO
a separate officer. On this business
basis, and in accordance with the de-
sign of the Constitution. Congress mas
divided the work among seven eX-
ecutive departments, each IN charge o'
n general officer or "head OF depart
ment.n known, respectively. as the
Secretary of State, the Secretary OF the
Treasury, the Secretary OF war; the
Attorney General, the Postmaster-Gen
eral, the Secretary of the Navy, and
the Secretary of the Interior; and the
work OF each department is still further
undivided and distributed among
.bureaus" and divisions" and minor
"offices,n in charge of les -er heads or
chiefs, designated as commissioners
"superintendents, directors, ana ~
various other general or special titles
An executive department, then, prop
cry means one of the grand divisions
of Government work boldly marked out
or suggested by the express provision
Of the Constitution. These grand di-
visions readily arrange themselves
The sovereign relations OF the Repub
lie with foreign powers, and its official
intercourse with the Governments Of
me States at home may be regarded
as one distinct grand division; accord
ingly, we have the Department of State
The coinage, currency, revenue, and
general fiscal affairs suggest anothe
great branch of work; hence, we have
the Department of the Treasury. The
mention of armi s suggest work thai
in time of trouble is likely TO tax thu
energy of separate division; thus, We
very appropriately have a Department
of War The prosecution of of1ense'
against the Unite States, and Other
judicial matters wherein the interest:
OF the Republic are 'ncerned constl
tute general division, represented by
the Department of Justice. The posta
service, as one of the most intricate
and important branches OF Gov
eminent work. certainly form
another grand division; therefore, w
have the Post-office Department
Maritime protection. like the miitar.
or land defense, forms Il separate di
vision; and thus we have the Depart
ment of the Navy. The various mat
tiers Of domestic concern, not covere
in these other departments, but con
templated by the Constitution, such a
the census, public lands patents, an
''odds and ends" may be convenient
grouped into another general division
and thus we have the very mi5ce
laneous, yet not misnamed, Depart
ment of the Interior.
To some of these executive depart
ments are intrusted matters which, o
their face at least, do not strictly be
ong to the grand division to whic
they have been assigned by law. FC
instance, the weather Bureau is
bureau of the War Departments; Tia
work being intimately connected wit
the peaceful interests of agricultur
and commerce. it is very generally DIT
nanded that it should be taken frol
military control and placed elsewhere
Edmund Alton, IN So. Nicholas.