Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-10-14

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cial information received from diplo-
matte and consular officers.
He has three assistant secretaries,
six chiefs of bureaus and seventy
clerks and other employees.
The Secretary of the Treasury has
charge of the financial affairs of the
nation prepares plans for the i'm
provement of its revenues and the
maintenance of its credit. He super
intends the collection Of taxes and
customs duties issues warrants for
receipts and expenditures controls
the construction of public buildings ;
the coinage and printing of money ;
the collection of statistics the adj
ministration of the coast and geodetic
survey, life-saving, lighthouse, revenue
cutter. steamboat inspection, and
marine hospital branches of the public
service, and furnishes generally such
information as may be required by
either branch of Congress.
The routine work is transacted in
the Offices of the Supervising Architect,
Director of the Mint, Superintendent
of Engraving and Printing, Supervis-
ing Surgeon-G General of Marine Hospi-
tails, General Superintendent of Life
Saving Service. Supervising Inspector
General of Steamboats,, Bureau of
Statistics, Lighthouse Board, and in
the divisions of warrants, estimates
and appropriations, appointments,
customs, public moneys, loans and
currency, mercantile marine and in
ternal revenue, revenue marine, sta
tionery printing and blanks, captured
property, claims and lands, mails and
files, and special agents.
He has two assistants, and under
him are two comptrollers and six au-
ditors of accounts, and several thous-
and clerks. laborers and other en-
ployes at Washington and in every
State in the Union.
The Secretary of War performs
such duties as the President, who is
commander-in-chief, may enjoin con-
corning the military service, and has
superintendence Of supplies and trans
portation for the army. The chiefs
of the ten bureaus in this department
are officers of the regular army and
belong to the permanent military es-
Enlistment of the country.
The Secretary of the Navy has
general charge of the construction
armament, equipment and employment
of vessels of war, and discharges what
ever duties may be assigned by the
President, who is also commander-in.
chief of the navy. The eight bureaus
of this department are in charge Of
regular officers of the navy, and are q
part of the permanent naval establish
ment.
The Secretary of the Interior has
supervision of public business relating
to patents for inventions, pensions,
and bounty lands, the public lands,
including mines, the Indians educa.
ton, railroads, the public surveys. the
census. when directed by law; the
custody and distribution of public
documents and various hospitals and
eleemosynary institutions in the Dis
trict of Columbia. He also exercises
certain powers and duties in relation
to the Territories of the United
States.
There are two assistant secretaries,
chief clerk, eight chiefs of different
divisions, and very large force of
clerks, writers, copyists. laborers and
watchmen employed at the capital and
in different parts of the country.
Considering the scope, variety and
number of subjects embraced, this is
the most important department in the
Government and should be subdiyided.
Pensions should be transferred to the
War Department, where the records
are kept. The Postmaster. General
appoints all officers and employees of
the department, except the three AS
sistant Postmasters-G General, who are
designated by the President, by and
with the advice and consent of the
Senate; appoints postmasters whose
compensation does not exceed 81 900
makes postal treaties with foreign
Governments, by and with the advice
and consent Of the President awards
and executes contracts, and directs
the management of the domestic and
foreign mail service.
He has four assistants and superin-
tendeuts of railway mail service, of
foreign mails, Of dead letters, and of
the money and order business.
The Attorney General is the head
of the Department Of Justice, and
chief law officer of the Government.
He represents the United States in
matters involving legal questions
gives his advice and opinion on ques-
tons of law when required by the
President or by the heads of the ex-
ecutive departments exercises pener-