The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-07-05
WOODSTOCK CELEBRATES
sPEECHEs MADE BY TRACY. MIL
LER AND MORGAN.

Devoted Eimself-The Attorney Gem
srsl Alludes to Outrages on the Bal
lot as Menace to the Republic.
WOODSTOCK, CONN, July 4.-The prin-
eipsI feature Of the Fourth Of July celebra-
ton here was the speeches delivered by
prominent republicans connected with
President Harrison's administration. They
we're listened to by large crowd and the
good points made were literally applauded.
SECRETARY TRACY's ADDRESS.
The folio wing are extracts from the ad
dress of Benjamin f. Tracy, Secretary of
the Navy. The subject of his address was
1.-THE Presidential Office"
To exercise financial Judgment upon these
great questions with direct personal response
bllty to the people, is the true function OF the
presidential office, and one to which its incum-
bent should be able to give the best part of his
time and of his energies To this may be added
the selection Of his immediate advisers, Of the
federal judiciary, and of the other great offices
Of the government. The duties herein involved
are a sufficient burden 10 lay upon the shoulders
of any one man;
Instead, however. OF being thus confined to
the larger and more important fields Of action,
the time Of the President under the present
system is absorbed by certain forms Of detailed
administrative work, whose Importance Is en-
tirely out Of proportion to the exalted charac
ter OF the office These details include vast
number of minor appointments to Office; the
hearings and decisions OF applications for par
don: the examination with a view to approval
or disproval, 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 in the executive departments several
of whose heads have regular days for consulta-
ton assigned to them during every week of the
year, and finally, the duty of listening to the
views of those best qualified to advise or best
entitled to be heard in frequent consultation
and elaboration upon all the subjects above
mentioned
cannot give a better idea OF the growth and
development of the country, as well as the null
tiplication Of these minor duties of the presden-
tial Office, than by the citation Of few statistics
and of contrasts which are both interesting and
instructive
In 1850, when the government had besu es-
230O00 900; in 1890 it was g. 100000. In 1850 the
union was composed Of 80 states; in
1890. it numbered 30, and 1892 "a In
1850 the national wealth was estimated
at $1,000, 600 900; in 1890 it had reached
the fabulous sum OF nearly S64, 5000 900. In
1850 the receipts of the treasury department
900; in 1889 the receipts were 44S,o0)00O and
the expenditures S344, 900 600 In 1850 outpost
offices numbered over Is, 900; in 1890 they were
$4,000, and have been increasing at the rate Of
/ 600 year for the previous ten years. In 1859
the persons employed in the civil service OF the
governments unbered 81, sos; in 1891 they num-
Der more IMAM lfO,CUU. In leSO the senate num-
bered 60 and the House 223; in 1892 the Senate
numbers SS and the House 35S members.
Marvellous as has been the growth of this
country in population and in wealth since 1880
the duties of the presidential of1ce have in
creased in even greater ratio.
In 1850 executive clemency was extended in
Is cases; in 1882 there were s5a applicants for
pardon. Only 1867 laws and joint resolutions
were passed by the Thirty first congress and sub
mitte1 to the President for his approval, while
1924 were passed by the FIftieth 1855 'so. The
- aaonE
$1,000 year and which are therefore classed
as presidential. has grown from 227 in 1880 to
3,1S6 in 1892. The other presidential offices
have increased in number from $40 to l. 900
making a total of 1855 appointments directly
in the hands of the present executive, as com
pared with 7T offices filed during tho four
years OF the administration of Taylor and Fill
more
Thus we see the tremendous rapidly with
which the duties and the burdens Of the exeeu-
tive Office have increased and are continually
increasing. IL is still to one man that the ooun-
try looks as its executive head. and yet the de-
mands upon his time for merely routine work of
the office are increasing in compound ratio
Twice week he holds cabinet meetings vary
ing In length according to the work on hand
The different secretaries are frequently In CON
sulIation with him in regard to the business of
their respective departments and in many cases
great bundles OF papers and documents must
be carefully gone over in order to decide and
definitely settle single case. The social side
OF his office makes many and
constant demands upon his time
for ceremonial occasions Of various kinds;
foreign ministers must be welcomed, and the
public Is received three times a week at the
executive mansion. A voluminous correspond
ence necessarily occupies much of the Presi-
DENTS attention and thought. The incessant
stream OF appointments, OF application for
pardon, Of small private and public bills flows
steadily ca. And in addition to all this the
President ia not only expected, but is compelled
by the very nature of his office, to watch Wig
ilantly the progress Of affairs, both foreign and
domestic, to direct the broader channels of
executive action, to transmit frequent oom-
munications TO congress during its constantly
lengthening sessions, to answer the calls of sens-
tors and representatives, and to keep In touch
with the thought and life of the nation.
We are now in position to estimate with
considerable accuracy the burden Of detailed
administration which the President naugurated
on March 4, 1898, Will be compelled TO take up
and perform
Since 1890 the presidential postoffioes have in
creased at the rate of 200 year. They fall
vacant at the rate of SEQ a year. At this rate
the incoming President will be compelled to
commission 1000 postLnasters during his term
OF Office, and in addition will have In all the
other departments treasury interior,
agriculture and the department OF justioe-not
less than 800 more officials TO select, making 8
total of $500 appointments This Is exclusive
OF the vacancies that may occur among the
judges who hold their terms for life, and also of
any appointments in the military and naval de
partments A very conservative estimate Of 100
for all these during the four years, carries the
total number Of appointments to $500. Allow
ms Ok WOFhHlR TO u year. Lnls gives j, <4S
Tor the full term of four years, thus averaging
~ appointments each business day through
the entire administration, which is enough OF
itself to occupy the whole Of each day.
II you consider that for each one OF the Z, 800
places there would be on an average three
applicants, or 1900 in all, each backed by
written testimonials and many OF them sup.
ported by friends who seek and claim personal
interviews with the President, you will even
then appreciate but family the buTdea which
TINS list Of appointments places upon the chief
executive. 1t is impossible that more than one
out of fifty of the applicants for these positions
should be personally known to the President.
lheir fitness. competency and acceptability to
the people among whom they are to administer
thelr offices can only be ascertained by patient
aud dihgent inquiry. To seek to adjust the
Claims of opposing factions-each striving for
success and bent on securing the object sought
Il aIter-ls in itself severe tax on the endurance
OF the President, repeated it is day after day,
week after week, and year after year.
IL is morally certain, also, that the number
81 VI applications for pardon will average 600 a
a year curing the four years OF the next admins
ration, or practically two for each working
Jay, AS eacl Of these requires examination
ot the record Of the case, inquiry iuto the
81 circumstances and conditions attending the
81 ctlIoe, the legality and regularity Of the trial
M sue previous character of the accused and the
,ttadlnE OF long petitions setting forth at length
s.e reasons why the friends of the convicted
M Forson believe him to be entitled to the inter