Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-07-16
VACATION DAYS.
Continued from Page One.)

4
administration or business reasons,
which mpels the encumbent to quit.
Thereupon comes a new secretary who
has to go over the entire subject
again No well regulated business
establishment would proceed in such
fashion as to its managers. On the
other hand if the secretary be not en-
tirely up to snuff, as sometimes hap
pens, the practice of changing is a
benefit and the people have occasion
to congratulate themselves that it is
SO.
Secretaries of the treasury have lit
tie field work to do and they travel
might little on inspection duty. They
go over to New York now and then
and keep in touch with the sub
treasurie; little. Attorneys general
also need not go far away from Wash
1ngton for the proper discharge of
their duties. And yet the govern
ment. under the modern dispensatian
of conducting important litigation
from the Department of Justice: has
very great interests at stake with the
district attorneys scattered over the
land. 1t is the practice, however. FOR
district attorneys to come down 10
Washington to see the attorney gem
eral. which can be easily and con-
veniently arranged. a district attof-
ney can be moved to Washington for
a few days but a navy yard or AN
army post can not be.
The secretary OF commerce in recent
times is something of a worker afield
because there are numerous projects
under his supervision which must be
officially taken care of. There are
the lighthouses, for example. Several
inspection trips to Alaska and other
distant points have been regarded Is
necessary during recent administra
tons and secretaries of commerce
have Travelled thither to have a loo,,
for themselves. Secretary Redfield
has not done very much travelling Of
that character thus far but probably
will
The Interior Department, however.
has very extensive undertakings
which each succeeding secretary must
visit. Therefore ii is that Secretary
Franklin X. Lane plans To go far afield
before the summer Is over. There are
irrigation profits and Indian reserva
tions calling to him for attention
To say nothing of a thousand and one
questions of administration, each
represented by a big bundle of papers
on his desk or within the depart
mental files. Mayhap several under
lings have examined and reported
upon these, but their reports do not
altogether agree and so the secretary
must survey the scene and form an
independent conclusion of his own.
1t all goes to show what a big bust
ness institution the government is
Practically all these matters are pure
business and ought TO be handled in a
business like manner. There is re-
quirement for a good business head. If
the government is not to get the worst
of things and have To make up for It
eventually in good dollars a COM
petent cabinet official. travelling afield
on such errands can easily save he
government, which is his employer,
the cost of his time and expenses
hundred .old
Some members of The cabinet are
also seeking vacations pure and simple
at this midsummer period. Thus it IS
with Secretary of Commerce Redfield.
They have had a tolerablN stressfnl
time getting their department under
way during the last four months and
want To get rested up for the busy
days of the autumn and winter. There
is not so much reason now why they
should be in town. All the depart
ments are running light during July
and August Those are the great
vacation months for the clerical forces.
10, Oh If nt al HtlFino
the year Congress is not making
any particular demands upon the de-
partments. saving only the Treasury
Department, which has to furnish
deal of data about the tariff and about
the banking and currency bill As
rule members of the cabinet are not
disposed to be ont of town when the
President is here but Mr.. Wilson does
not seem disposed To enforce that re-
quirement particularly.
The President himself has already
taken a weeks vacation and is plan
ming to take more later, when CON
gress adjourns, if indeed il does be-
fore next December. He has long
been in the habit of resting summers.
as all educators are, and takes kindly
to the idea that members of his cabi-
net have their rest period. Many of
them will feel like being back in
Washington before the President re-
turns from whatever autumn vacation
he expects to have.
The President is planning for
', strenuous work next winter. It IL
well understood in advance that sew
eral important public questions and
policies will he considered by the time
cold weather comes again. The gem
eral run of government business Is
voluminous and year by year the de-
mands upon government officials who
perform their duties conscientiously,
are larger and larger. The first year
of an administration is almost always
an exhaustive one and this admins
tration is proving no exception. In
deed the work is considerably more
than il ordinarily would be with a
change of administration, because 50
many new things are being under
taken and SO many reforms being
pressed Accordingly, 1t is probably
well that so many high officials are
now taking q vacation.