The record-union., 1892-07-18
Overlooking THE PRESIDENTIAL
OFFICE.

Secretary Tracy made notable speech
at Woodstock on the 4th instant, in which
he spoke Of the gradual change in our
system which has made the Office of Pres
ident one of drudgery, when it was in
tended that the chief and most absorbing
duty of the President should be to study
our foreign relations and the direction
of fiscal administration and national
economy.
1t has long been the conviction of stu
dents Of our system that the Presidential
Office is becoming top-heavy with detail
and drudgery work. It's incumbent, be-
sides attending to treaty submissions, in
forming himself of foreign politics, the
condition Of our trade with foreign parts,
and the correspondence with other ma
tions on hundred points affecting our
interests, the careful examination of pro-
posed legislation, etc.. is now required to
make vast number of minor civil ap-
pointments; and hence to receive host of
1t is said that four and half appoint
ments in day must be made by the
President for the Postal Department
alone, and the papers III each case read.
These are always voluminous, and in
volve the claims of from six to twenty
applicants for each place. There are some
six hundred applications for pardons
yearly, and about thousand Acts of
Congress annually to be examined and
passed upon within a given number of
days for each.
In addition, he is head of the army and
navy, and must examine records of
courts martial, claims for promotion, re-
ports of commanders, etc. He must in
form himself of the Pension Bureau and
the Land Department, and of the multi
tudinous affairs of the executive depart
ments, several of whose heads have regu-
lar hours for consultation with him. He
must be well posted concerning the Treas
ury and the fiscal system, and be alert
concerning the working of the customs
week to social receptions, to reception of
representatives of foreign countries and
to hearing the claims Of representative
of States on matters relating to mutual
State and Federal concern.
With the rapid growth of the country
these duties as rapidly augment, until it
is already simply impossible to discharge
them all well. What shall be done? En-
large the power of the Cabinet officers?
Of that the people would be exceedingly
jealous, and justly so. Yet it is Mr.
Tracy's opinion that it must come to that
would have referred TO the Attorney
General. Postal appointments he would
commit wholly to the Postal Department,
since these viii amount in the next quar-
ter of century to no less than 100, ,000
All lesser Acts of Congress he would
have the President approve or disap-
prove upon the advice of the Department
of Justice, and generally the Secretary
advises that the official responsibility of
Cabinet and department heads be en-
larged in order to relieve the strain upon
the Presidential Office. Evidently some
thing of this kind must be done; but if it
is there must be new guards thrown about
these departments. twill be a very grave
departure to make the change indicated,
and will be criticised very sharply by the
people. since the distribution of powers
will bring with it new perils, and enlarge
the opportunities for yenality and NAL
administration. We have now probably
"a, ,00O,000 of people; when we have 1O0,-
0OO, 900 it viii be simply beyond the capa-
city of any man to properly discharge
Presidential functions under the system
that attaches to them such an infinity OF
detail and such a variety of duties. 1t
will be a case of overload and of break
down, or else of gross but absolutely un-
avoidabIe neglect of some duties, that
will result in great harm to the Nation.
Mr.. CLEVELAND has seen fit to write a
letter denying that he considered relig-
ious affiliation in making appointments
while he was President, and asserting