Morning journal and courier., 1892-07-05

convicted person believe him to be entitled
to the interposition of executive clemency,
it is clear that the disposition of but two
of these cases is q fair days work.
If the record of recent congresses as to
the number of bills passed is to be main
tained-snd there is no reason to doubt
that it will be-the president, during his |
next term, will be compelled to examine |
and approve or disapprove of not less than |
4, 900 different acts Of congress. This duty
for the last sixty days Of long session,
and the last thirty days of short one,
| consumes nearly all his time to the exclu-
sion of any other business.
In all this work there is no intermission
| possible. A few days of rest for the wea-
ried brain afford but little belief, since the
work accommodating during this short re-
tenfold. The wheels of state keep inces-
sanity revolving. The public business
knows no beginning and no end.
If this is the condition that confronts us
in the Immediate future with 65, 900, 900 of
population, what will it be twenty-five
years from now when the population of
the nation will be at least 100000, 000a
Flesh and blood cannot endure the strain
which the continuance of the present sys-
tenn will impose upon the executive. 1t is
clear that some change must be made by
which these burdens may be lightened and
their weight borne at least in part by
others.
Three principal causes are responsible
, for the increasing additions to the burdens
of the presidential Office:
The increase of legislation, by which the
number of acts which the president is
forced to consider and to approve or to
| Thirty first congress of 1850 81 to 1924 in
, the Fiftieth congress- of 1SSS-S9.
The greatly increased number of offenses
: against the United States-such as those
: against the internal revenue laws. and
: counterfeiting the currency of the United
States-which did not exist prior to the
war, has largely multiplied the number OF
8 criminal cases in the federal courts, and
7 as consequence, the applications for par
I don.
g Finally, the act of 1885, by vesting thu
4 appointment Of postmasters ''for each of
Q fee at which the commissions allowed tc
4 the postmaster amount to 81 900 or up
Q ward" in the president, has devolved upor
o him 1900 additional appointments
Q It fs not difficult to ascertain the rene
t dies for this overwhelming increase in tn
9 duties of the executive.
The first and most obvious remedy is
J. either repeal or a material modification
: | of the act of 1886, already referred to
The time is not far distant when, instead
f of IS, 900 we shall have 100, 600 postofices
o and at the present rate of increase 1900
> Of these will be presidential appointments
Q All of these should be devolved on tn
9 postmaster general. If congress will no
r repeal the act, it must at least limit it
g operation to Offices having higher com
!, pensation; or, failing this, it mus
IL lengthen the term of presidential
# postmasters to more than fou
:. years, since the appointment and confrma
a ton of 10000 postmasters during a singl
9 administration would absorb the Who'll
time, not only of the president, but Of tn
/ senate as we'll.
b Further relief would be secured by tn
general acceptance of the principle of di
r rect responsibility of heads of departments
d even in cases requiring the formal actiol
9 of the president. It is within the powe
of the president in large measure to dele
t. gate to his subordinates the control of tn
i details of the administration. This Secre
Y tary Tracy enlarged upon, showing bot
il its constitutionality and its necessity.