New-York tribune., 1874-12-25

But Mr.. Window is frank enough 70 confess
that this bill is only the beginning. Tbs
Bureau is to be succeeded by an entire De-
partment with q Cabinet Minister we suppose
at the head Of it. an army OF clerks, largo
and expensive building in the Mullett style OF
architecture, d contingent fund. and all the
modern improvements in the art of admins
tration. "The Department Of Industry" says
Mr.. Window, "shOud exercise appropriate
supervision over the agricultural, manufac-
" turing, mining and commercial interests of
/" the country. The limits assigned to this
"artclo will not permit a statement OF the
reasons which demand the creation OF
"a new department. Let the first step
a. be taken and is advantages viii
demonstrate the necessity for the more per-
&" feet organization of the great industrial in
"tcrcsts of tho nation. The producers and
{" the workDgmcn of the country, who constl-
tutc its real wealth and power, will then
"demand and receive recognition OF Their
"rights at the hands of Congress" liz
is melancholy to hear Senator of the
United States talking in this way. by what
title have "prolucers and workingmcn'
right TO the creation of Department OF In
dnssryl What recognition of }heir rights"
Implied III tNe VI s"'e Nv
partmcntq What "rtcognitOn is withheld
from them under the present order of thingst
And, if it is not pushing Mr. Window too far.
who are the "produccrs and wOrkingmen' ami
what makes them a class apart from tho rcos
of the pOpulatOnf
Some of the work which Mr.. Window pro-
poses to intrust to the new Secretary is very
well performed already by the Bureau OF
| Statistics, and if it is desirable that Dr. Ed
| ward Young should extend the field oil his
| inquiries we see no reason why tho proper
| facilities for that purpose should not be placed
| at his disposal. But it is very plain that the
| collection of statistics is only small part OF
the labor which Mr.. Window expects to in
trust to the new Secretary. Cabinet officers
| are the Presidents assistants ia the executive
| functions of government, and it Ia always
supposed that they have certain important
| administrative duties. Such are precisely tho
duties which it is proposed to place upon tho
Secretary of Industry. The Government is TO
exercise direct control over the commerce,
agriculture, and manufactures OF the whole
| country. 1t il to regulate the railroads, fix
| the charges Of transportation, frame factory
| laws, prescribe the hours of labor, perhaps
in the course of time establish rates of wages
/ and the price of bread-fOr why should it not
| do this when it claims the right to limit tho
! tolls on the carriage OF q bushel of wheatt
When the central Government interfercs viii.
the trade and production OF the country at
every step, we shall need Cabinet Officer, OF
! course. to superintcnd the process.
The most surprising fallacy Of this whole
theory of interference lies in the supposition
that we have, or are likely ever to have, more
| wisdom in the head Of Washington func-
tlonary than in all tho shrewd, active, restless.
experienced business men who make tho pros
perity Of the country. Ii was thought once
upon time that the farmers of the United
States, who constitute our principal working
"men and producers though Mr.. Window
hardly seems to be aware Of it, required the
establishment of Department of Agriculture.
What has come of that plan, what diotic
reports, what volumes of waste paper Illus
tratcd with pictures of prize rams, cockroaches.
and mammoth cabbages, no man needs 10 ba
told. The Department of Agriculture has
never been anything but laughng-stock.
The Department of Industry would soon be-
| come an intolerable obstruction.