The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-04-17
WOODROW WILSON ON
C"LEVELAND'S CABINET
TWENTY YEARS Ago

Albert Shaw in Review OF Reviews:
Just twenty years ago, at the re-
quest Of the editor of The Review of
Reviews. Mr.. Wilson wrote for this
magazine an extended sketch of Mr..
Cleveland's cabinet The article was
much more than a series of para
graphs upon the men selected for the
cabinet posts; it was a noteworthy
discussion Of the function Of the cabi-
net in our American system. 1t sets
forth and reviews the two different
theories. Take, for instance, the fol-
lowing remarks, aprOpos, not of Mr..
Cleveland's first cabinet, but Of his
second, appointed in March, 1893:
Until Mr.. Cleveland, 1t may be said
to have been habitual with our presi-
dents to regard the cabinet as a coun-
ell Of party leaders. Mr.. Arthur, for
example, unQuesttOnably aVerted pre-
mature party calamity by putting
aside his personal preferences in the
choice of his cabinet and broadening
it's membership much beyond the
ranks Of the stalWart wing, to which
he himself belonged. Other presidents
have followed a like course Of cOncilia-
ton and cooperation. Only men like
Jackson have hitherto put their per
sonal preference foremost in supply
luB lIG departments Will HGdub anu
themselves with assistants. In this
case Mr., Cleveland has combined
the W methods in a way which may
turn out to have been significant of
the future course Of the government
under him. .
AS it is, we are left to surmise. for
all the administration is so strong n
so truly representative in one or two
departments What will Mr.. Cleve-
land 6o with biS pahiDof2 for nothing
can be clearer thar that he purposes
to do something. Will the treasury
submit a programme Of reform? VIII
the administration assume the leader
ship in revising the tariff laws, re-
forming the coinage, extending the
provisions of the civil service law, as
Mr.. Whitney did in developing the
navy? Is this a legislative as we'll as
an administrative cabinet? Is 1t a
cabinet with purposes as well as with
capabilities? If so, how does Mr..
Cleveland stand for strength in such
| courses, with a cabinet constituted as
this n is, not as a party counsel but
rather as a body of personal counsel
ors? Is it strong enough for leader
ship, or is Mr.. Cleveland relying
tirely or his own strength to carry his
purposes to successful completion?
Probably he is depending upon him
self, taking his cue from the country,
which undoubtedly depends upon him
to exercise an active guidance in at
fairs for the next four years. If so,
1t is a fine display of courage and res
olution. 1t commits the country, 1t
must be said, in a hazardous degree to
the understanding and capacity Of a
single man; but 1t will, at any rate,
make capital test of our idea that the
president, constitutionally viewed,
constitutes the executive department
Of the government; that he Is not
simply the directing head, but the eff
cient embodiment Of the admtnistra-
tive function"
After some allusion to the surprises
in the Cleveland cabinet, such as that
of Mr.. Gresham for secretary Of state,
distinguished author proceeds in
the following vein to discuss the &C
cepted view that the cabinet is, after
all, the presidents own affair:
This is the view which Mr.. Cleve-
land himself apparently takes-not ar
rogantly, but with a grave sense OF
responsibility for the manner in which
the executive business Of the country
Is to be carried on. 1t may be called
he literally constitutional view Of the
cabinet. The constitution vests the
executive power of the government in
the president in perfectly plain terms.
It takes it for granted in an occasional
III . llldL Will NC lChu VI Y
partments, and it authorizes congress
to place the appointment of the minor
officers of the government in the
hands Of such principal officials. But
It offers no hint that they are to be
more than heads of departments; they
receive no cue from it to speak as If
they had legal share in the exercise of
executive power. Statute, indeed, may
give them a certain degree of indepen-
denCe of the president The statute
which erected the treasury depart
ment, for example, gave Andrew Jack
son no little trouble because 1t render
ed it necessary for him to obtain the
assent OF the secretary to the with
drawal of the deposits of the govern
ment from the Bank of the United
States. He had to make two removals
before he found a plant secretary. But
such statutes must be acknowledged
to strain the tenor of the constitution.
The president may make what selec-
tons he will in providing the admin
~istrative departments with their chief
officers, and keep indisputably within
his literal constitutional powers. The
senate must, indeed, confirm his ap-
pointments; but it has long regarded
its function in this respect, not as a
right to assist or dictate to the presi-
lent in his choice of cabinet officials,
but merely as a check upon the nom
nation of men touched in some degree
by scandal or known in some way to
have shown gross tncompetency, for
assuming public trusts. No man who
has followed Mr.. Cleveland's career
ought to have the slightest disposition
to curtail his freedom of choice, or can
have sufficient reason for distruSting
his Judgment of men, and his strength
to bear the whole executive RESPONSE