Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-23
THE DEPARTMENTS
HAVE BEEN cREATED Az THE DE-
xAHD cA41nf1
Gradual Extension 6f Government Aid
-Dsvslopment oz-Hstional Power
and Rsspuzcsa

The birth Of q nav department Of the
goverument and the creation Of an add
uonal cabinet oficer are always events OF
interest ana recall the circumstances at
tending the establishment OF other depart
msnts Of the government.
Prior to the act Of Congrsss authorizing
che formation Of, The Department. Of Com
merce the last OF the cabinet positions to
b eutaasaahed was that At the head Of the
Department Of ..Srlcultufs, The cabinet
oznce was not originated until President
Cleyeland's administration. when Mr. Cole
man, the commissioner entered the caabinet
and a. Secretary served lens than . month.
The agricultural interests Of the country
were looked after by the government dor
no seat In the cabinet. This was during the
period of the countrys greatest develop
ment OF Its agricultural resources. These
interests were thoroughly developed be-
fore the head Of the bureau was given q
footing with other great departments OF the
government.
So in the case Of the Department Of. Com
care have long been looked after BY sepa-
rate bureaus, which are now formed under
q single department and placed under the
supervision Of cabinet officer. AZ was
the case with the Department Of Agricul-
ture. there viii doubtless be many plans
evolved as q result Of the thought that will
In the future be directed toward the up
building Of the commerce Of the United
States.
ment there were at once needed certain de-
partments in order to carry on any gov
eminent at all. At that time the sugges-
ton that the attention OF the government
industry that are now assisted by the strong
arm Of the government would have been re-
sisted with the greatest power by many OF
the leading men In Congress Today the
dustries which combine to make the coun-
try prosperous is accepted without even a
criticism.
The State Department was established as
an executive department under the Consti-
tuition by the act of Congress Of July II.
1883. The act creating it denominated 1t
the Department Of Foreign Affairs, the
principal officer being called Secretary of
Foreign Affairs. 1t Is q curious fact not
generally understood that the general stat
utes provide that cabinet officers shall re-
cedve salaries of $4,000 per annum, al
though the amount appropriated for that
purpose has been only 5000.
The germ of the Treasury Department
was born in the third session Of Congress
In resolution for the appointment OF a
standing committee Of five for ssperintend-
resolved that treasury Office of accounts
be established, to be under the direction OF
the standing committee OF the treasury.
The War Department was established by
act Of Congress August Z, 1888. The Navy
Department was established April 80 Of the
same year. As in the case Of other de-
partments, from time to time various func-
tons were added to the main line OF the
duties Of this branch Of the government.
The three great departments. the State.
War, Navy. Treasury and Post Office De-
partment, the latter established temporarily
In 1889 and permanently In 1874. were suffd-
Co. -. NJ fHa ant
for many years. sra
It was not until 1S40, that the Interior De-
partment was formed. and still later when
the Agricultural Department as a mere
bureau was created for looking after the
interests of the farms OF the country. To-
gether with the Department Of Justice.
with the Attorney General as a cabinet Of
ficer, there were eight members of the cabi-
net, which IL now, Increased to nine by the
addition Of the new Department Of Com
merce. -r. IL