The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-12
No More Cabinet Oflces.


Tho latest development OF the fancy for
creating new executive departments in
the Federal Government is found in the
bill. just favorably recommended to the
House. to establish Department OF Mines
and Mining.
Ever since tho seed bureau, by dint OF
persistent effort was made to blossom out
into full-blown Agricultural Department.
under Uncle JERRY RUsK. other sub-offlces
and desks of the Interior or other depart
ments have been inspired with like ambi-
ton. But the proposal OF tho pending bill.
to create a Secretary OF Mines ond Mining.
and even an Assistant Secretary. us in the
oldest of the Cabinet departments, Is out of
the question.
Were.any new department TO be created.
the best case could be made out for Secre-
tary OF Commerce. and Navigation. in view
not only OF the enormous magnitude OF the
interests involved in these pursuits. but tie
variety and intricaoy of those interests.
which weigh heavily on tie Treasury De-
Imrtnent. But practically it is found that
through the system of bureaus tho efnirs
OF the mercantile laaripe. So far as they
require Government supervision. can DO
transacted without constituting a depart
ment of their own.
The trouble 10 ouch cases IL that the
theory END object Of the Cabicet Office are
misunderstood. The fact that great MAJ y
people are concsrned IN a particular in
duStry. or thst II great deal Of capital IL iD-
vest.,d In 1t. is no gruunl whatever for
giving 1t AZ executive department Of the
Governucnt. II it were. there should be a
Secretary OF Railroads and RailruGdlng be-
fore there 10 ore OF Mines and Miuing. and
Department Of the Mechanic Arto be:ocs
either. 1t is solely because certain opera
lions rnust be carried ON by Tho Govern
ment and not by private enterprise that
executive departments nra created to
direct them. The postal system. for ex-
ample. Ia wholly an aEeir OF Tho Gov
eminent. and private individunlp rnGy he
pODishcd for undertaking IL. The manage
meDt OF the army and the navy. .hs con-
duct OF our affairs with foreign Govern
ments. and the collection of the customs
and other sources OF revenues are pApebly
0f the same class of functions exclusively
belonging to the Government, II wus the
failure to comprehend this Fundamental
principle that set UP M Agricultural De-
partment. because far uinS Ia f. very ir,-
portrait Industry with u grca. part of the
people engaged In it. II tie Govern neut
had itself to manage all tho Thing o. land
AID raising OF crops tho case would lie
quite different. But the ns:e magnitude
of q popular occupation does not properly
enter ut all into this particular question.
The founders Of our Government under
stood this perfectly. and accordingly
created as few executive departments MS
possible. They established tho Department
Of State. the Department OF War. the De-
part,lent OF tho Treasury. the Postmaster
Generals Department. IND the Attorney
Generals Department. For zine years
even the navy wss administered b. the
Secretary Of War. and then separate de-
partment WAS established for It. Sixty
years after the Government was founded
the Interior Department was created. To
take charge Of certain sneirs In which the
changes had boon vast. The country had
spread enormously In area. end tho great
French csssicu Of 1903 and the Spanish
cession OF 1919 had Just been supplemented
by the annexation OF Texas and the Mexican
cession OF ls4s. Even then there was a
question as to whether new department.
should be established. but there had been a
great growth OF important interests In pub
lc lands. ii the supervision OF new Ter