The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-07-24


who kept run of business in his alb
sence. Secretary Taft performed that
office then and, besides being desig>
mated by the President as a Iid-sup-
pressor. was often referred to as Act
ing President. So, too, when the Pres
ident went on his trip to Panama last
November, he left one of his cabinet
members in virtual charge. It was
generally understood that Secretary
Root was then the man to be consult
ed if any business of great Presiden-
tial Importance came up. OF course,
neither Secretary Taft nor Secretary
Root could sign single paper as Act
ing President, but they could discuss
a proposition in the Presidents name
and inform him of it's status.
AS a matter of face, neither of these
Acting Presidents found much to do,
but the precedent for such an informal
designation has grown up because or
President Roosevelt's act, and it may
be continued by some of his success
sors. For Mr.. Roosevelt has set the
example of remaining out of Washing
ton for at least a quarter of every
year. It is not improbable that Pres
that practise, particularly Republican
Presidents.
And when a President remains from
Washington for any great length OF
time it is almost imperative that he
have someone to keep a lookout, to
maintain the office, as it were. The
business coming before a President is
always increasing in volume, because
of the growth of population and the
constant Capitalization here. And it IS
impossible for the President to keep IN
touch with everything that he ought
to know, when he goes away from
rashington. To be sure, all the facil-
tiles for prompt communication are at
his disposal, but that does not take the
place of a personal representative from
his cabinet.
AS a matter of fact, the White
House offices are only a relay station
for information of interest to the Pres
ident during the summer months. Tel
egraph operators are moved to oyster
Pay to handle messages that come Tor
the President. Senators and members
and others, are not likely to telegraph
the President at Washington, but there
is a vast amount of business in the
departments which has to be passed on
to the President, and a very great deai
of material is telegraphed to him from
the White House offices. Assistant
Secretary Forster, who stays here on
guard all during the summer, Is IN
reality an acting secretary to the
President. although Mr.. Loeb, who &C
companies the President to Oyster Bay,
performs his usual duties, except for
month or so when he takes vacation.
But there is a large White House mali
all through the summer. Mr.. Forster
goes over this daily. sorts out that
which ought to have the attention OF
secretary Loeb and forwards it to
OYSTER Bay. reserving all the rest to De
disposed of by himself and his force oL
| clerks.
However, the "acting" list IN the
government service is very large these
summer days, for during the next Two
or three months practically the entire
government force must have an outlhs'
and some one has to do, in part at
least the work of every man or Woihail
who is away, whether he be mes
senger at $500 or an official at $4,000.
| All the bureau chiefs, all the chleI
clerks. and the division clerks must
have vacation, and as these take
their vacations there must be an acting
| chief of bureau of division or other
organization unit as the case may De-
IT ia really quite a matter Of maneu'
yering to give a vacation 10 such I"
vast army. There are approximately
| % Ooo Civil Service employees in the de-
nartments of Washington, men and
| women who are filing class11eo posi-
lions. All of these and their generals
| colonies. captains and lieutenants haFe
| a months vacation at least. some ot
those in the higher commands ses
much more. Beginning about jury
the movement of these vacatlohlsls DC
| gins and it continues for ABOUT wv
months. The outgoing current Oeslhs
about July /, but the return curren'
does not set in till close to August l.
/ A few of the Civil Service clerks III
washington do not get 80 days. Ihe
| onoo ar more employees of the Govern
ment Printing Office, who are unoei
the Civil Service. get but Is days an
nuallv and they had a long, hard ngh
20 cot that amount of leave from Con
graes There are many thousands OF
eron1oves of navy yards on both coasts
who get a brief leave. But, all tolu
there are 10000 government clerks II
the classified service on side of WASH
ington. and not including the 2S'OOo al,
ready mentioned in Washington "i'oS'
vacations must be provided for
Roughly speaking, this provision 10,
midsummer vacations means that .h'
Government proceeds with only mar
force during the two hot months. bul
beyond that, there are several nla'1 Iea
that cripple the working efhcleiloS : =
tns+anca here in Washington there ar
SATURDAY. half holidays during July
August and September. The sam,
regulation applies in the navy yara
throughout the country. 1t means ina
the thousands of government emPloye
in washington do very little work sat
urdavs of the heated term.
ERNEST G. WALKER.