The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-03-26
United States Alone of
Nations Without This
Distinctive Branch.
OPINIONS OF BUSINESS MEN
President Of National Manufacturers As
ISOLATION Urges Congress to Act-Trade
Interests Enormous-Messrs. Ella, Bar
Der, and Others Before Committee.

The House Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce yesterday began con-
| sideration of the several bills introduced
in the Senate and House. providing for
the establishment of Department Of
Commerce. with a secretary at its head
who shall be member of the Cabinet
| The committee has before it the bill in
| troduced by Senator Nelson. and which
has already passed the Senate, and other
measures introduced in the House by Rep
resentatives Roberts, Schirm, and Brown
low.
There were present at the hearing q
number of representative business men
from different cities throughout the coun-
try.
President Search Testifes.
Mr.. Theodore C. Search, of Philadelphia,
the president of the National Manufactur-
crs' Association, was the first to be heard
in behalf of the proposition. He said that
in his opinion the magnitude of the man
ufacturing interests throughout the United
states would seem to entitle such inter-
ests to representation in the Presidents
Cabinet
He declared that the value of the man
ufactured articles produced in the coun-
try for the year ending June 80, 1900, was
s13,oOo.OoO,000 or nearly four times as
much as the agricultural interests pro-
duce.
The United States Alone.
1.-THE United States" said Mr.. Search
lis almost alone among the civilized ma
lions in failing to maintain a distinct
governmental department, whose func-
lions it is to promote the interests of
commerce and industry.
England has her board of trade. which
exercises a powerful influence upon the
commerce and industries of Great Britain,
and whose president is a Cabinet officer.
Germany has Minister of Commerce.
France has Minister of Commerce.
Belgium has a Minister of Industry
and Labor.
Austria has a Minister of Commerce
and National Economy.
Hungary has a Minister of Industry
and Commerce.
Russia has a special imperial cabinet
of four sections. one of which is devoted
to agriculture and manufacture.
THE Netherlands has Minister of
Public Works and Commerce.
Spain has a Minister of Agriculture
and Commerce and Public Works.
Portugal has Minister of Public
Works. Industry. and Commerce.
Switzerland has a Minister of Agri-
culture and Industry.
Italy has Minister of Industry and
Commerce.
Persia has Minister OF Commerce
Most of the Spanish-American coun-
tries have cabinet officials whose func-
tons are distinctly commercial in char
acter.'
Mr.. Ella Supports Proposition.
Mr.. John W. Ella representing the Ma
tional Business League. OF Chicago. with
organizations in all of the various States.
followed Mr.. Search in support of the
proposition.
He said that the bureaus under the
new department would come chiefly fron
the Treasury and Interior Departments
with one from the State Department lie
thought the cost of maintaining the new
bureau need not exceed $4,000 year.
In answer to several questions as 10
the advisability of placing the labor
bureau under the new department, Mr..
Ella said that he had understood that the
knights of Labor had petitioned to have
the labor bureau included in the Depart
ment of Commerce. and that Mr.. Com
pers. of the Federation OF Labor, had
protested against it.
Manufacturing Interests United.
Mr.. George H. Barber. of Detroit. told
the committee that the manufacturing
interests of the country were practically
united in support OF the measure for the
creation of this new office.
Mr. L. ". Noyes. of Chicago. said that
such a department would be of inestima-
BILE benefit to the small manufacturers
and producers. They were the first 10
suffer in times of local industrial depres-
sions. Department of Commerce would
find them a market abroad for their pro-
ducts at such times as the consumption
in this country is less than the output,
and surplus is produced. Large inter
ests of capital. he said, could wait for
a return of prosperity. but the small pro-
Queer and the wage-earner could not en-
lure Industrial depressions. He though
that the advantage OF such department
would be of special benefit to labor, r
Mr.. Anderson. of Pittsburg. spoke briefly
but enthusiastically in behalf of the meas
ure as a necessity to keep pace with our
growing trade and industry. ~-fl