The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-07-21
MUTATIONS IN
PRESIDENTS Of
Taft More Fortunate
Than Most of His
Predecessors
ALTHOUGH Mr.. Taft has made


usual enough to arouse the surprise
which is expressed in some quarters.
The president, indeed, is more fortu-
mite than most of his predecessors
have been in retaining the services of
his political family. In his four years
of service It is to be presumed that he
did not expect to equal the record of
Pierce. whose council remained I'M
broken TO the end of the term. In
fact, some presidents have had more
changes in the ranks of their official
advisers in a single year than the pres
ent executive has had in two years
and quarter On this score Mr..
Taft has Jared well.
While the term cabinet Is not men,
toned in the constitution this has be-
come Il very important part of the cX-
ecutive machinery. Although the fed
eral charter does not mention this
body by name, 1t assumes that such
council will be created and refers to
it in article ., section 2, which au-
thorizes the president to require the
opinion in writing of the principal Of
ments upon any subject relating to the
duties of their respective offices"
More than once the first president
called for such opinions. He did this
in a historic eXigency, that which was
created by the passage through con-
gress of the bill to create the first
United States bank, that which was
al, In Ia IN
rotary of the treasury, was the author
of that measure, which many of the
state rights advocates opposed as an
unconstitutional stretch of power by
congress. Washington asked the views
in writing of all his advisers. JCffer
son, the secretary of state, opposed
the bank, but Hamiton's argument
signed the bill In later days the GUS
tom for the president has been to have
regular consultations with the cabinet,
before whom all matters of large i'm
portance are laid This has been the
practice within the recollection of
everybody now alive.
Cabinet Acquires Prestige,
But the cabinet in recent times has
had dignity and prestige which 1t
did not possess at first. In certain
contingencies the presidency may de-
volve upon some Of its members.
Along until 1886, If there were no pres
idcnt or vice president, the presidency
would be obtained by the president pro
tempore of the senate or the speaker
of the house, in this order, but the as
sassination of Garfield in 1881, when
there was no president pro tempOre
and no speaker of the house, for con-
gress had not met at that time, i'm
PEELED house and senate to provide for
crisis of this sort Thus a bill was
passed, which was signed by Cleve-
land on Jan. 10, 1856, which placed
the members Of the cabinet in the line
of succession, the order being the sec
rotary of state, the secretary of the
treasury, and so on. OF course the
cabinet officer in order to be eligible
would have to meet the requirements
of birth and age which are demanded
in presidents. The act of 1856 gives
the cabinet q certain Importance which
it lacked up to that time. In the
accidents and mischances Of the fu-
ture it is altogether possible that the
big Office may descend to one Of the
presidents appOintees.
Only four members were in the cabi-
net in WashingtOn's time. These We're
the heads of the state, the treasury and
the war departments and the attorney
general, 1t was said that Washington
selected members from each party i'm.
partially in framing his cabinet. In
the sense in which this assertion is
commonly made it is not quite correct
Hamilton and jefferson, the two most
prominent members of the first presl
dents council did indeed belong to
different schools of political thought
1t is probable, however, that this cir
cumstance did not have any influence
with Washington in making the Sc.
lectiOns. When he entered Office par
ty lines had not been drawn. Two
elements were in the convention which
framed the constitution, and Washing
ton presided over that body. The ad-
NbCultS VI Inc tbllSlllullOll as llullltIl
We're called Federalists, and its oppo.
neuts were named AntifederaliSts,
This division appeared in q much more
decisive form in the state conventions
which were held to ratify or reject that
charter The Federalists triumphed.
In the earlier congresses the same
political terms We're used. In the
sense, however, of defending the
constitution jefferson and Hamilton
We're Federallsts, but soon after 1t
went into operation the term FEEDER
| alsts was restricted to the men who
wanted to give congress large powers,
| led 10y Hamilton, while those who
| would contne its powers to the rigid
| letter Of the instrument began under
Jeirersons lead 20 call themselves Re
| publicans. Most Of the Antifederallsts
We're in the Republican party, the pro-
genitor of the present Democratic par
! ty.
Additions began TO be made to the
circle of members Of the presidents
council in lT9S, when the Office of sec,
ratarv Of the navy was created. John
Adams was the president Mt that time
! Previously the duties of that post were
a., ..I,..r.., - tb. gappatnrv Of In