The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-04-16
CLOSER CABINET RELATIONS.

IT is curious revelation of the way
things have been going on in Washing
/ ton that the country is now treated to-
A dispatch from the National capital yes
terday morning developed the idea that
there Is TO be an effort for ga closer
relationship between the various De-
partments represented in the Cabinet.
1t appears that Attorney General Wick
crsham has the negotiations in charge,
and that the departments Will now be
expected TO come together on various
propositions and act as a harmonious
anti II the transaction Of public husl,
ncss aud the prosecution Of the aims of
tie administration.
Now. that is precisely what the pub
lie has had a reason TO expect was the
state Of affairs all the time. The pub,
lie has q right TO expect that the ex-
ecutivc departments of the Government
viii ac! together and in harmony for
the advancement of the public inter
ests and the transaction of public bust
ness. In the past they have done so,
and the fact that they have for while
in the recent past not been doing this,
uncovers curious and lamentable
state of affairs.
1t has been stated heretofore that
President Roosevelt simply made of the
Secretaries of the various executive de-
partmenis of the Government "mere
errand boys; that he would call in for
consultation with himself subordinates
in the various departments. going over
the heads of the Secretaries; and, in
short that he considered the various de.
partments mere servants of his own TO
do his bidding without regard to the
will, desire. or ideas of the department
heads. He ignored those heads when he
chose, used them when he would and
had things his own way generally, I'M
dertaling 10 run them all, both in gen
eral and in detail
The result was the natural one--a
disorganization Of the depart
menis as such. and total want Of
correlation between one department and
another. Under the Roosevelt style of
running things. there WAS no need for
any departmental cooperation. no need
for any Secretary TO confer with any
other; because President Roosevelt run
the affairs of the departments. one and
all. at his own Will and pleasure Even
when Congress called upon the depart
ments for information and reports,
President Roosevelt would step in be-
tween and say that he had instructed
the department heads not TO send such a
sbie for tie refusal to obey the man.
date OF Congress.
And rcw that inis all-pervading force
IS removed, The departments find them
selves entirely at sea. Each department
head is held responsible to President
Taft FOR the work in his department.,
and results are expected from the head
The new President not only expects
this, but he expects the heads of the
departments to act in unison, and when
one of those heads wants help, advice,
and strengthening, from another, the
Taft idea is that that other should he
TO give it, and that the Gov
crEmental official machine should work
in the utmost harmony and to the best
And thai is the right idea. decidedly.
1t was impossible of realization under
the Roosevelt regime, because no head
If = department was allowed to act for
himself, Blu. under the Taft regime il
is a necessity, Just US it is a necessity
in any correct and reasonable manner Of
the public business.
Bu5 :hat ,.jsTatch which told Of the
ettors to get tdc department heads to-
gethcr ana lave them work effectively
and III unison. told far more than was
meant. It told not only of what is de-
sired and what ought TO be- but it told
of condition undesirable in itself and
that ought never to have been II is
good thing for the public interest that
the trouble has been found ont thus
early in the new administration, and
that effective effort is making to have
that trouble relieved