The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-02-15
A Department Of Mines.

A bill has been favorabIy reported TO
the house Of representatives which es-
tablishes the department of mines and
mining and places over 1t a secretary
who shall be a member OF the presi-
dents cabinet. Whether the bill be-
comes a law IL somewhat doubtful
similar nature. proposing to create
new executive departments with addi-
tionai cabinet officers, and there liz slight
prospect that any of them will pass, at
least at the present session. Senator
Frye has introduced a bill providing for
the department Of commerce and indus
tries. and perhaps there Is some demand
for 1t as a judicious gathering together
of several important bureaus which are
now distributed among the existing de-
partments. But not every one regards
1t as an imperative necessity, and some
may be inclined to look upon the pro-
posed department OF mines and mining
IN the same way.
The executive departments were orig
inslly created % loat after the pubic
business and TO perform such work as
fell TO the government to do In exer-
cising it's administrative functions The
state department WAS organized TO look
after our foreign affairs; the treasury
department to look after the national
finances: the interior department to look
after public lands. Indians and other
internal matters. Departments were
also created 10 have supervision over
the army. the navy ana the postofiices.
All these were matters subject to fed
.ral direction, because they had to do
with public property. and the work. OF
necessity. had to be performed by gov
eminent agents In compliance with laws
that called for the exercise OF govern
ment authority.
A department OF mines ana mining
would hardly come within the scope Ut
work laid out for the government when
cabinet officers were first created. The
government has nothing 90 do with min
ing. II is not pecuniarily interested In
the development OF mining properties.
That Is something left to private enter
Prise. The government Is Of course In
terested in the utilization OF all these
great resources OF The land. hut i may
he questioned II there is sufficient re-
lationshlp between private mining and
public SUPERVISION of 1t 20 warrant the
creation OF a cabinet department which
is 10 give its attention to this industry
exclusively. What is there for the de-
partmens to do which calls FOR the ser
vices OF a secretary who is to have the
same rank as those now attending TO
business strictly governmental9
IL may be held that the secretary OF
agriculture an official at the head OF
department which was created for
the bcneAt Of private interests, and, tn
measure. this Is true, But the agFi-
cultural department really existed for
a long time before the head OF il was
made member ~ the cabinet And
il is no; altogether unreasonable To say
that the Interests u the farmers were
looked after about as diligently by
former commissioners at agriculture az
they have been by commissioners ele-
waited to the rank 90 secretaries with
seat in the cabinet, A little more dig
nifty has been given TO the department
and the salaries have been raised. bu.
It IS by no means certain that any pro-
nounced or l-ositive good has eecr gain B.
ed by 50 doing.
No one wiz deny that the mining in