Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-11

| VI kNeS obliged to rely upon
| y~EpNN"f, subordinates. 1t Is said
-$N that the whole machin-
cry has come under the control of cliques,
| being SO interviewer with system of invisible
wires that the responsible chief finds his own
| wishes defeated without knowing how it hap
| pens Even details for duty and promotions in
| the staff are controlled to some extent by these
hidden influences.
But all this is likely to be changed before
| long. The new Secretary ID expected to do
| away with many of the abuses which said to
| prevail. Some of these were attacked during
his first administration by Pre- ident Cleveland
whose accurate knowledge respec ting the inside
| workings of the War Department. frequently
astonished certain officials. His information
was obtained partly through Lamont, who got it
by the very simple but original method of solicit
ing the frankly exp -csscd views OF army officers
respecting the management of affairs in their
service.
IN THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
A Secretary of War can hardly do better than
to consult officers outside as we'll as inside of his
department as to the management of its affairs.
1t is the with the Secretary of the
Navy. The latter has n more difficult business
to learn than any other head of a department.
Even Mr.. Herbert. notwithstanding his long
experience with naval aiIairs in the House OF
Representatives. can have little notion of the
technical details of the service-the building of
guns, the management of ships. g. The best
man can do in such rosition is to relv upon
subordinates. allowing those who understand
the work to manage it while he contents him elf
with general supervision and refrans from in
terfering much.
AS SECRETARY OF STATE.
1t is comparatively easy to perform the routine
| functions of a Secretary of State. ANY well-in-
formed man with good common sense can fill that
place fairly we'll. His department runs itself. lie
has three assistant secretaries. who know ali
about tho Diplomatic machinery and are &C
quainted with he exact status of every inter-
national claim in which this government is in
terested When he is required to act on a case
all the documents regarding it are placed be-
fore him on his desk. If Inc matter has to do
with United STATES citizen who has been tied
up andwhippedin Venezuela the correspondence
on the LJcct up TO date Is pu. under Ills eve.
With plenty OF experience at hand TO advise
he need only decide what shall be done next.
Observation-Disclosures
He is notalways required to decide for himself
villa. shall be done in any important international
complication. The President b. whose author
ity be acts, is the responsible person. In mrk-
ing treaties the secretary merely represents tho
chief executive, who is the treaty making
power. Sometimes the President drafts treaty
himself The Secretary OF State ia tho Presi-
II.
They have secrets which are not even revealed
10 Congress. For example. the negotiations
preliminary 70 a treaty are not communicated
To The House or Senate. because the publ alton
OF them would be likely to 4 -,ea! the end sought
Dir. Gre ham VIII acI as Il sort OF managing ed
itor for Ir. Cleveland editing and printing all
documents which em2nate from the White
House. At the same time he will direct n CORPS
OF reporters all over the world. who, as part
of their duty a, United state, consuls are each
rppuirp1 n snvaral
for hose newsy publications calico consular re-
ports.
WITH THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY
it is quite different. He must be an expert in
financial matters. His depar tment is SO vast,
embracing multitude OF unrelated bureaus
that he does not attempt to attend 10 the details
OF its business. reegating the management to
subOrdiuates. He has n treasure.' to take care
OF the money. director OF the mint to make
the coins, cher OF the bureau OF engraving to
print the paper cash. besides three under sec
retarles and Othec great officers to collect the
revenue. &c. de him self decides important
questions only. Many laws are passed which
permit this or that to be done at his discretion
and wcighty problems often tax his Judgment.
Disputes as to customs duties which involve
millions of dollars referred to him The
treasury il poor now and he cannot afford to
waste penny. One Of his most important re-
sponsibiiities consists in the making of prec-
N!eTe points new ana previously
decided come up.
THE LAW OF PRECEDENTs.
The departments of the government like
courts, have their law. in which the previous
decision governs. The law controlling their
business is the law of precedents. Until cause
is shown for oyerthrowing a precedcn. the lat
ter will always be adhered to- As q rule it ia
very difficult to upset precedent that Is firmly
Established. There is crying need of a
digest OF practice" in the departments. As
things are now tho preceden. in case us uay
refers for its authority to the memory Of a
subordinate or to imprinted records or both
What might be termed q register of precedents
respecting diplomatic and consular affairs has
been compiled in a work known as Wharton's
Digest OF International Law, the material of
which was taken almost wholly from the I'M
printed records OF the Department OF State.
The pension oiice has digest of laws rulings
and deciaions, and SO have the land and patent
Offices and a few bureaus Generally speaking,
however, the prccedents governing the business
of the depar ments have not been codiisd. 40
cordinSly new Secretary cannot learn to know
1t ali In four years and he is PEELED to rsly
upon his clerks for information. Ordinarily o de-
partmsnt will run itself very well without any
Secretary In charge. On the other hand. il
many of the chiefs of bureaus and divisions
were sick tho operation Of the government ma
chinery would be seriously impeded An illus
tration OF this was actually afforded at the time
OF the grip epl0emic
THE PRESIDENTS OFFICIAL FAMILY.
There Is no such thing a cabinet provided
for in the Constitution Of the United States. In
the early days Of the government the secretaries
were hardly more than clerks of the President.
Even now they possess authority save such
as they derive from him. No law obliges him
to pay attention to their advice. At the same
time political considerations constrain him to
Fay regard to their wishes and opinions. Al
though they form his official family he feels
compelled to select them with due respcct for
geographical considerations. 1t has happened
more than once that member of the cabinet
has successfully bullied the President by threat
ening to resign. The reverse has also occurred.
On one occasion Mr.. Tyler, when an attempt
was made to force him to take certain action,
was reused from his customary mildness to
great wrath. Leaping to his feet he shock his
fist aloft and said: I'm show the people Of
these United States that Tam their President"
POWER OF THE PRESIDENT.
The President OF the United States is far
more powerful than the Queen of England.
She would not dare to disregard the wishes of
her cabinet. Some Presidents leave the affairs
of he 1apo rkv,ap 81 49, l.