Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1889-02-19
UNCLE SANS GOVERNMENT.


absorption Of the Execut,x.
the Different Departments. "
The great mass of work i,n.
upon the Executive Power OF tho CO..
Notwithstanding so many dlatinc,
SUBJECTS. and requiring 80 many tbon.
sands OF agents to performance no o.
ranged and treated ir an orderly and
SYSTEMATIC manner. To expect the
resident to give ii his close personal
attention and directly superintend the
aoings oil each agent. would be absurd
Inc magnitude and diversity Of tho
work demand it's separation into nsrta
lhd the general supervision or MANAGE
'nent OF each part must be intrus,ed 10
separate officer. On this business
oasis, and in accordance with the do.
sign OF the Constitution, Congress- bss
divided the work among seven ex-
ecutlVe departments, each in charge of
general officer or "head of depart-
ment'" known. respectively. as the
secretary OF State, the Secretary of tho
Treasury. the Secretary of War the
Attorney-General, the Postmaster len.
erai, the Secretary of the Navy. and
the Secretary of the Interior; and the
work ofeach department is still further
subdiyided and distributed AMONG
bureaus" and divisions" and minor
"offices," in charge of lesser heads or
chiefs, designated as commissioners >,
"superintendents," directors and by
various other general or special titles.
An executive department, then, prop
cry means one of the grand divisions
ofGoyernment work boldly marked out
or suggested by the express provisions
OF the Constitution. These grand di.
visions readily arrange themselves.
The sovereign relations of the Repub-
TIC 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.
Inc coinage. currency. revenue. and
general fiscal affairs suggest anothe-
great branch OF work; hence, we have
the Department Of the Treasury. The
mention OF armies suggest work that
in time OF trouble is likely to tax the
energy OF separate division; thus, we
very appropriately have Department
OF War The prosecution OF offenses
against the Unite States, and other
judicial matters wherein the interests
OF the Republic are concerned consti-
tute general division, represented by
the Department OF Justice. The postal
service, as one of the most intricate
and important branches of Gov
eminent work, certainly forms
another grand division; therefore, we
have the Post-office Department.
Maritime protection. like the military
or land defense. forms separate di-
vision; and thus we have the Depart
ment of the Navy. The various mat
tiers of domestic concern, not covered
in these other departments, but con-
templated by the Constitution, such as
the census, public lands, patents, and
odds and ends" may be conveniently
grouped into another general division;
and thus We have the very miscel-
laneous, yet not misnamed, Depart
ment 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
bureau of the War Department; the
work being intimately connected with
the peaceful interests of agriculture
and commerce, it is very generally de,
handed that it should be taken from
military control and placed elsewhere
-Ednund Al!on, in 50. Nicholas.