The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-21
The DEPARTMENT. OF COMMERCE

Senator Nelson's bill for a department
OF commerce is not receiving such care
full consideration from congress as its
Importance demands. If the trade jour-
nails of the country, as we'll as the daily
press, reflect the opinions Of the best in
formed on this matter, and of the inter-
ests most concerned in such a depart
ment, there can be no doubt that there is
a great need for it. Yesterday the bill
was but briefly considered in the senate,
and has now lost the commanding po-
sition and given way to the Philippines
bill.
The Washington correspondents seem to
think that it is the policy Of the OPP
position to amend the bill to DEATH This
is very cavalier treatment of a measure
which, as Senator Nelson said yesterday,
is strongly favored by public opinion and
is needed to put the United States on a
parity with other nations. =, =
The United States is admittedly the
greatest commercial nation in the world,
yet its government has no department
Of commerce.. OF course, our govern
ment is not neglectful of the interests
OF commerce, and almost every depart
ment now has one or more bureaus that
deal largely or chiefly with commercial
questions and matters. AS becomes a
business nation, these scattered bureaus
should be united in businesslike way
in the same department. 'In union there
is strength A given number of related
bureaus working together in harmony
and common purpose can achieve much
more and render themselves vastly more
useful than they can when scattered
through many different departments, the
chief interests of which are not those Of
the bureaus. a--.'. -
Senator Nelson's bill is logical
measure. It answers a demand that
has long been felt by the business in
terests of the country. But we suspect
that some of the, existing depart
ments, which would lose some Of their
bureaus to the new department If 1t were
to be established, are quietly if not open
ly using their influence to prevent the bill
from passing.
The proposed department of commerce,
dn the unamended bill, establishes a
bureau of manufactures, to compile manu-
featuring statistics and develop our
manufacturing interests and markets for
them. It transfers nine bureaus from the
treasury department, including life saw
ing, lighthouses, marine hospital, steam
boat inspection, shipping commissioners,
immigration and the coast and geodetic
survey. 1t takes from the interior the
railroad commissioner, patents. census,
geological survey. From the state de-
partment it takes the bureau Of foreign
commerce and consolidates it with the bu-
reau Of statistics. It absorbs the depart
ment of labor and the fish commissioner.
1t is undoubtedly true that Senator
Nelson has included in his first draft OF
the bill some departments that ought to
remain where they are. There was nc
great necessity for the census office to be
In the new department and the patent
Office is only remotely connected with
its proper function. Both of these were
cut out of the bill yesterday. The geo.
logical survey has already been eliminated
from the proposed department.. But
Senator Nelson may purposely have in.
cluded some bureaus for trading stock
In any event, minor defects in such 3
good measure should not be permitted tt
interfere with its adoption.