New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-05

formulated that portion of the Constitution which
cerpcd the Presidential Office under realizing Of
the evils they had Suffered while subject to the
capnces Of royal ruler, and guarded well against
assumption OF power pTcroesuvc by the individual
which could threaten endanger the liberty Of the
people. over 100 years OF experience have proven
the wisdom and foresight Of the statesmen OF the Rev
olution. They planned wisely and Ouided well"
The President still the servant of the people. His
powers great, but the fear OF absolutism or OF
usmpaton of supreme authority by him never disur5s
US. The Nation, in time OF rests in
the consciousness of its power TO conhne within
constitutional limits the exercise of executive AN
tfory.
The Presidential Office is repletc with vast respon
slbilties and burdens requiring constant and aduous
labor subject demands the most cXacing and trials
the most veAatiads Only the highest ability and the
wisest craftsmanship will enable its occupant to over
come It's difficulties and avoid Its eVer-besettin1
dangers.
The most important field Of Executive duty consists
In the direction Of those great Of foreign and
domestic policy which, either by the general provisions
OF the Constitution, by express statutory enact
ments intrused to the discretion of the President
such is the conduct of foreign relations for although
the power OF making treaties is exercised by the fres
dent Jointly with the senate yet the whole course OF
negotiations leading up to the final treaty. and sun
o.tener concluding by informal agreement fails upoa
the Executive alone. The fiscal policy a tho Govern
ment, also, though laid down upon broad INES uN
statute Is In several most important particulars de-
pendent upon Executive judgment. and the same may
be sad in greater less degree OF all the branches
into which administration IS divided. Finally where
existing legislation Is inadequate or Imperfect Is
the right and duty of the President TO recommend 10
Congress such measures he shall deem necessary
To exercise final executive Judgment upon these
great question, with direct personal reSpohsloh''!
TO the people the function OF the Presidential
Office and one 10 which its incumbent should be able
to give the best part Of his time and OF his energies
To this may added the selection OF his lnmeuh'e
advisers OF the Federal judiciary. and OF the othcf
great Offices Of the Government. The dntles herein
lnvolvd are sufficient burden to lay upon uo
shoulders of any man.
THE ROUTINE DUTIES or A PRESIDENT.
Instead however of being thus confined to the
larger and more important fields OF action, the time
Of tia President under the present system Is abb
sorbed by certain forms Of detailed Administrative
work. whose Importance Is entirely out OF proporuoh
10 the exalted character Of the onice Ihcse do'as
Include a vast number Of minor appointments 10
Office The bearing and decision OF applications for
pardon: tie examination. With view 10 approval
or dsapproval of numerous acts of Congress- many OF
them Of extremely limited scope; the review OF the
findings Of courts martial In the Army and Navy
the supervision of the details of business III the N
ecuttve Departments several Of whose heads have
regular days for consultation assigned them during
every week of the year: and. finally. the duiv OF
listening to the views those best qualified TO advise
OF best entitled be heard, in frequent consultation
and deli6e.alion upon all the subjects above men-
toned.
IN the earlier period OF National history these
routine duties OF the Presidential Office We're far from
onerous The Government embraced only tn riecn
states and our population numbering loss than Iour
millions was prac cay limited 10 the country along
the Atlantic coast east OF the AcShsnieS and the
, Hudson. Tie principal burden OF the Government
o4itroh ~ara VI
was required frame laws and provide Tor All con-
tngencies that might aise in the formation and dc
y1opmelt Of a new Nation The kXecuiiyc; ui''fam M
inclcd by tho labor OF innumerable selections ior
once or BY complex details Of Admin s.TatiOn. was
free to devote its energies TO the alimpor'ant QueS
u9's s Il cXamnati0a ill suffice TO show this The
total namber VI appointments 10 once naue 10y W..
tabisfinent. ia ROT exceed 800 and al! his civil
appoint INC nts during his TWO leraS of ONCE, were
no; more tmn 400 IN NUMBER. ,,.,r,
Duung the same period Only hnccn pamlois Ut ,n,
issued BY the Executive, and but 31o acts OF Con-
gress submitted for examination ana apPrVSal;
cannot give yoa better G YEA, oi Is me s"pea r
ton Of these MINOR duties OF the prcSldcnla one
than By The citation Of rev s!o dnI ni%c, ~
In 1880 when the Government had been eslaD.
shfa tOf Sl xGs So IN 1910 he non
composed OF 80 states In lS.O numDGiEo a. ani
mated at s70oO.oooo)o; in 100 1t had TeaGc1 me me
fabulous sum nearly o. o0o0ooCOo In l9S0 go d }he
and he expendnes 49, 90 900 in 1889 the receipts
S443O 5000 and the expenditure ~ h,UoUoS
In 1850 our pCSonlCes numbered over lorOO III Ic,V
they were $4,000 and bad been increasing AT ~ IN
rate Of 1000 year or me PxV r,y rce Of the
Government numbered 32922 iSo ~ s5nae e{ nnmeg
nor and idn oSC a IN isa2 the tea;c numbers
IS and The House $50 members.
THE EXECUTIVES BURDENS INCREASING.
Marvellous as has been tile growth Of this country
In population and In wealth since 1850 tic du'le'
OF the Presidential oce have increased In even greater
ratio.
In tss0 Executive clemcncy was extended in IS
cases IN 1862 there were 532 applicants for paii0n
Only 1e7 aws and joint resolutions were passed by The
XXNIst Congrcss and s'3m,ct 20 tho frssisn' t ~
Qsso-c1l The nunber Of lostofices whose revenue
reach 81 900 year, and which are ue;s:Ec cS ~
IN lsl. Tie OTHER Presidential oiiices have in
creased in number from 90 10 1000 making iola!
Of 1850 appointments directly IN the hands of tn
present Executive as compared with 7s7 Offices filed
during the four years OF tie Administration oi I"So'
thus we see the tremendous rapdty with which
the duties and the burdens u ne executive Once nan
increased and ore continually Increasing: II + suV
10 one man that me country looks 4. us executive
head and yet the demands upon his tine Tor mercy
routino work Of he Office arc increasing in compound
ratio twice week he holds tablaet meetings. vary
Ing IN length according TO the WORK on hahd' Ino
different Secretaries frequently n consultation with
lin in regard TO the business OF their respective de
par;mcnts, ard In many eases groat bund.cS OF paT'
decide and definitely settle q single case The social
ode Of his Office makes many AID constant demands
uIoi rs tinef enOnl ISL rs o. Nnifo - mss
foreign Ministers mast nc welcomed and the pubic IS
received three TINES week al The Executive Mansion
vouminous correspohdenc ne sliN occupies n'irh
II the Presidents attention and thought: inc N
cessGnt stream OF appointments. Of Application i0r
pardon, Of small private and public bills flows steadily
On And In addition TO all this the President i not
ony expected. but IS compelled by the very nature OF
his Office, to watch ViclaDty the progress Of AFFAIRS
both foreign and domestic, 10 dNct the broader |
channels Of executive action, 10 transmit frequent com
mu1icatons 10 Congress during 1t, constantly lcngthen
ing sessions the calls Of senators AMI Rep
resentatlves, and - keep IN touch with the thought
and life Of the Nation.
We now In position TO estimate with consid- |
cradle accuracy the burden Of detailed administration
which the President insugurItcd March 4, 1898.
viii be cOmpelled o take up and perfOrm.