The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-02
The DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BILL

Inc mouse committee on commerce has
at length taken up the bill providing for
the establishment Of department of
commerce and labor and is giving hear
1ngs to representatives of business and
labor.
1t was generally thought that there
would not be much difficulty putting this
measure through to the statute book The
Dill was passed by the senate in January
without much trouble, the only serious
opposition coming from the American
Federation OF Labor and other labor or
CARNATIONS. This antagonism has also
developed in the house, and the committee
has found that the representatives of
labor prefer to have the labor bureau re-
main outside the new department as an
independent organization, as they believe
that the interests of commerce and manu-
factures conflict with the interests of
labor. They have no objection to the es-
Enlistment of department of commerce,
but would have their interests cared for
outside of it. Objections have been raised
by other interests that the bill does not
include the Interstate commerce commits
sion or the revenue cutter service and
contains provisions for bureaus which
should not be in such department. 1t is
rather strange that the interstate COM
merce commission was left out of the pro-
posed department, as 1t is an organiza-
ton that touches directly the interests of
commerce, and there is no doubt that the
labor bureau is as we'll managed now as it
could ever be in connection with the pro-
posed department. twas wise for the
senate to eliminate the geological survey
and the geodetic survey from the bill, but
1t is to be feared that, if the house I'M
dertakes to make many changes in the
measure, it. will fail of passage at this
session by disagreement in conference.
The president very strongly recommend
ed the passage1Of such a measure as this
in his annual message. 1t is eminently
desirable to group together the related
bureaus and bring them under one head,
that all the machinery for the promotion
and regulation of our commerce and in
dustries may be strengthened in it's eff
cheney. Our manufacturing interests
have an output valued at over s15,000,-
100000 a year, while our transportation
Interests by rail and water are in con-
tinual expansion. The department Of
commerce will become the great source
of information and assistance to these
interests. France, Germany, Italy, Aus
tria, Great Britain, have such depart
ments, which tabulate trade statistics,
foreign and domestic, control the con-
sulates as business agencies and super
wise the technical and commercial schools
and arrange reciprocity treaties and
tariffs. They labor for the commercial
and Industrial advancement Of their ma
/ lions, respectively. Having entered into
competition for the trade of the world, it
pledged to the promotion of our CONNER
cial expansion. We must, as Senator
Hanna argued in the senate, find markets
for our surplus or be forced to limit pro-
duction to our domestic needs, as our
producing capacity is far beyond the ca
panty VI Lie COuuLIy 10 CONSUME Tue
product. Any process which tends to IA
cilitate distribution abroad is obviously
| advantageous to our country.
The wild spring waters are playing
queer antics this year. An ancient lake
sprang into existence again and paralyzed
the Northern Pacific transcontinental
system. Now truthful chronicler in
South Dakota tells us that hole opened
in the bottom Of the Missouri and for
days absorbed so much water that the
river below ran dry, while above it was
bank-full. After the hole was filled and
the old Muddy had replenished all the arte-
sian wells in South Dakota for this year
run the waters were turned into the chan
| mel again.