The evening times., 1900-02-10
their HISTORY REVIEWED
Establishmentand Growth of the Ex-
ecutive Departments.
An Interestins Report on the bill
Creating New Cabinet Position.
During the Passing Years-Diver-
sified Business Of the Treasury.


Senator Nelson. in his report on the bill
10 create an Executive department, to be
known as the Department of Commerce
and Industries. presents a brief history
of the inception, growth. and jurisdiction
OF the different Executive departments of
the Government
Senator Nelson, in his report. says that
The first department established was
known as the Department of Foreign Af-
fairs. and was created by the act of July
%, 1889. BY the act of September Is 1889,
the name was changed to that of Depart
ment of State. This department was orig
inally vested, under the direction Of the
President. with jurisdiction over for
eign, diplomatic and consular af-
fairs, and was, in 1898, given jurisdiction
over the matter of patents for useful in
vehtions which it retained until 1s49.
when the Interior Department was Great
ed. 1t was also given supervisory and ap-
pellate jurisdiction over the acts OF mar
shals and others in taking and returning
the census of the United States. which it
retained until the Interior Department
was created, in 1S49.
The War Department.
The next department established was
the War Department which was created
by the act of August Z, 1879. and was
originally vested with jurisdiction. under
the direction of the President over both
military and naval affairs. over land
grants for military services, and over In
dian affairs Its jurisdiction over naval
affairs il retained Hntil April 30, 1873, when /
The Navy Department was created; its /
Jurisdiction over land grants was trans /
ferred to the Treasury Department ia 1
1883 and 1896 and its jurisdiction over In !
dian affairs was transferred to the Interior !
Department in IS4S.
l. 1898 the department WAS given juris- !
dietion over the matter Of military pen |
sions. which il retained until lS49, when /
the Interior Department was established. |
During a part of this time the War De- |
partment and Navy Department. Jointly. I
exercised jurisdiction over military and /
naval pensions. and il still retains the so 1
called Record and Pension Office.
The next department established was
the Treasury Department, by the act Of I
September >. 1888. It was originally vest 1
ed with jurisdiction ever the financial and /
fiscal affairs OF the Government. with The 1
collection and expenditure of the public /
revenue and was also vested with juris- |
ulcil0n over me sale OF pubic lands. l
which it retained until the Interior De 1
partment was created in 1919.
Other Departments.
The next department established was The |
Navy Department. created by the act Of
April 30. 17aS and vested with jurisdic-
tiou over naval affairs. This department
had also for a time jurisdiction over the
matter of naval pensions until the same 4
was transferred to the Interior Department !
in lS4a.
The Interior Department was establish /
ed by the act of March >, 1S49. II was /
originally given jurisdiction over patents /.
for inventions. over the land Office bust .
ness Of the Government over Indian af- /
fairs. over pensions over the census. over
the accounts Of the officers CT United .
States courts, and over public buildings.
It's jurisdiction over public buildings was
abolished in 1867. and its jurisdiction over
the accounts OF judicial officers was trans.
ferred to the Attorney General in 1870
1889 pOstofiice with a Postmaster Gen
eral was established and given jurisdiction
over the postal affairs of the Government
BY the acts of February 20 1892, and May
s. 1894, a General PoslOfiice was estab-
lished with a Postmaster General AZ the
head; and finally. on June S. 1872 the Post
Office Department was established one
OF the Executive Departments. with iuris-
diction over all the postal affairs Of the
Government.
On September a4. 17Sq the Office Of At
tOrney General was created, whose duty il
was to conduct all suits on behalf Of the
Government in the Supreme Court OF the
United States. and to give advice and opin-
son upon questions of law when required
by the President or the heads Of any of
the departments. By the act of June %,
1879. the Department OF Justice was ere
d tied. with the Attorney General at its head.
By the act of May l.. 1862 the Depart
ment Of Agriculture was created with 4
Commissioner of Agriculture at the head.
This was afterward changed into an EXecu-
tive Department with q Secretary of Ag-
Iiculture at the head. by the act Of Feb
ruary .. 1859. This department has juris-
dicti0n OF an advisory character over the
agricultural affairs OF the country.
Various Glasses of Business
II is said by Senator Nelson that il We
look at the duties assigned to each Of these
departments We find that. outside OF ,hc
Treasury and Interior Departments. the
other departments are mainly charged with
a single distinct class OF public business :
the State Department with foreign affairs :
Department of Justice with judicial af- I
fairs. Navy Department with naval af ,
fairs PoStoffice Department with the pos :
tai business of the country. War Depart
lnent with military affairs and the i'm q
provement of rivers and harbors. and the :
Agricultural Department with agricultural :
matters. But when we come to the Treas :
ury and the Interior Departments We find !
each of these departments vested with Z ,
large number of separate and distinct pub ,
lie matters disconnected with esch other.
The Interior Department has today ,
charge OF the General Land Office, Indian
Office. Pension Office. Patent Office. Bureau ,
of Education, Census Office. Commissioner
of Railroads, Architect OF the Capitol
Geological Survey Government Hospital
for the Insane and the Columbia Institute
for the Instruction OF the Deaf and Dumb.
The Treasury Department stands charg-
ed with still greater variety Of diversi-
fed duties and subjects. II has charge Il !
all the fiscal and monetary affairs OF the
Including the issuance and
OF a safe and sound cur
rency. the collection and disbursement of
the revenues of the Government the audit-
ing and paying of all public accounts and !
claims in the several departments Of the
Government, the public debt, and The coin
age.
senator Nelson's Argument. I
In support of the contention that De
partment OF Commerce should be estab-
ished Senator Nelson says:
'.The need for such a department has '
For many years been recognized by all the q
commercial bodies throughout the c
country. and there seems to be an urgent ]
demand throughout the industrial world 5
II the evstpn,