The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-03-15
THE PRESIDENTS POWER.
Belief Expressed That 1t Is Growing
All the Time.


Henry I.itcLhcjd Vest in the Forum
The lines along which the legislative, cXecU.
tive and judicial divisions oi the government
were laid down are no longer equal, to them.
selves, nor parallel a. TO each other. The leg.
isla,iro and judicial merging toward The
executive. The appointment of the federal .u-
dietary is entirely in the hands oi the executive,
Is, TO he sure. it has always been but no in
telgeut man needs to be informed that in.
stances arc unhappily becoming only TOO fac
quent where the tenor Of forthcoming legal
decision can he accurately predicted through
knowledge oI the political complexion OF the
court In the legislative branch of the govern.
ment, ii is the executive which Influences II
it docs not control, the action OF congress;
while The power originally vested in the cX.
ecutiye alone has Increased 10 an extent Of
which the trainers OF the Constitution had no
prophetic vision,
II is not difficult to discover tho secret of
executive power 4 golden stream flows through
the White House TO the remotCst corners OF the
United States. lts source is tue national treas.
ury. TO the pr'si lent OF the United States is
given the oportunitv TO divert a good part OF
this stream where and whittier he wil-into the
pockets, generally, OF his personal friends. but
invariably to the financial benefit Of his poiti
cal supporter II money il the lever thai
rules the world, the president can dj.pcnse il
WIN q idiEeNS 1nat rs startling. fhluIe, Tor
instance the president standing beside the
public vaults with one ann plunged elbow deep
into the ovcrfowing treasury, while the other il
distributing the golden store to a greedy horde
OF eager men. POstmaStcrS collectors of Gus.
toms, revenue officials, marShalS, attorneys. con.
snls, foreign ministers these and more
are among tho recipients of the president :
bounty Tho only check is the approval Of
the United States senate: and the members Of
that body. knowing that their constituents are
drinking deeply Of The golden stream, rarely
interpose an objection.
There is occasion to deal IN genc,alties.
| The records Of the departments at Washingto on
present accurate detail OF the number oi offices
which are directly filled by the president, with
| the amount of their annual salaries Let me
present this information as | have gathered it
| from official sources
| State Department
3lS consular and diplomatic appoint
| ments Observation-Disclosures, Sl,0V0Vn
| Treasury Department
| 74S customs, revenue. marine hos.
| ptal, etc. Observation-Disclosures. Gl,&j5
| Postoffce Department
| 40ij postrnasters ......,,....,.,.,., G.njl OoO
| Interior Department
| az Pension officials, andoffcc
agents, etc, Observation-Disclosures. l,y1i.6
| Department of Justice
Judges, attorneys, marshals, ETC.. I,l9o,0oC
|
| Total OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, .sll,6l,oo'
| II needs no argument 10 prove that the hand
| which controls this enormous ouput Of the ma,
| tonal wealth is hand Of power. The spoil,
OF Office which figured so largely in Jackson
administration were as a tiny rvulet compared
| with the mighty patronage of a president at ia,
present time It. is therefore, a question worth,
| Of consideration whether this tremendous powel
has been or could be used to accomplish dcanit,
results desired by a president OF the Unite,
| States.