Rocky Ford enterprise., 1903-12-11

frcaiutht hDacNeltf D mchlcs7e 10 tne
second session OF the Fifty.cIIhth Con
srcss Is substantially as follows:
To the Senate aud House Of Represen.
fdnres:
The country Is to b. congratulated on
the amount OF substantial achievement
| which has marked the past year b'th as
regards our foreign AMI az regards our
domestic policy.
Win n nation as with a man the most
important things arc those Of the house
hold. and therefore the country In espe-
cialiy to be congratulated on what has
been accomplished In the direction OF pro-
yidins for the exercise OF supervision
over the great corporations ard combina-
tlons OF corporations engaged in inter
state commerce The Congress has cr--
atrd the Del aTtm-nt OF Commetc. and
labor. Including the Bureau OF Corpora
tons. with for the INST time authority to
secure proper publicity Of such proceed.
inks OF these great corporations IN the
public has the tisht to know. Il has pro-
Nlded for the sspciIiins OF suits for the
enforcement OF the FEDERAL antitrust
law. and by another law u has secured
equal irratmcnt TO all producers IN the
transportation OF their soosis. thus taking
n long stride forward In making effective
the work os the Interstate comn.Fes
Commission.
Department Of Commerce and Labor.
The establishment OF the Department
Of Commerce and t.ahoF. with tho Bureau
OF Corporations Hereunder. marks n rial
advance In the direction Of doInss all that
Is possible foT the solution of the questions
vitality affecting capitalists ard wage.
Workers.
Functions Of New Department.
The preliminary work OF the bureau
Of Corporations In the dspaftmsn, has
shown III. wisdom OF Its erratien. Pub
ileitY In corpaFats Affairs viii tend 60 do
a -
facts upon which Intelligent, action may
BE- takrns Systematic. Intelligent inVes.
tikation is already developing facts the
knowledge OF which is essential to a right
understanding Of tho needs and duties Of
tho business world. The corporation
which Is honestly and faiFiy organized.
whose managers In the conduct OF It's
business rscosuIs. their obligation TO deaf
.usruiy with their stockholders. their
competitors. aud the public. has nothing
TO fear from such supervision Tho pur.
pose OF this bureau Is not to eimtAtrass
or assan legitimate business. bot to aid
In bringing about n better Industrial con.
| dition=a condition under which there
shall h. obedience to Law ana recognition
of public obligation by all corporations.
great OF small. The DeraTimsn, Of Com.
m-rre and Labor will be not only the
clearing hous. for information regarding
the business transactions Of the nation
but the executive arm Of the government
TO aid In strengthening our domestic and
portatipn facilities. In building up OUT
msfchan; marine. IN preventing the en-.
/ trance Of undesirable Immigrants. In I'm.
proving commercial and Industrial condi.
'ions, and In bringing together on com.
| mon ground those necessary partners In
Industrial ptugrcsa--capitai and labor.
| Commerce between the nations Ia stead
| iiy growing In volume. and the tendency
| Of the times is toward closer trade Tcia-
! tions. Constant vatchfuiness is needed
| to secure to Americans the chance to par
ticipate TO the best advantage In foreign
trade: and We may confidently expect
that the new Department; viii justify the
expectation Of It's creators by the cser-
else Of this watchfulnsss. as well as BY
the businsssiikc administration Of such
laws relating TO our internal affairs
sre intrusted to It's care.
In enactlnE the laws above enumerated
the Congress proceeded on sane and con-
scryative lines. Nothing revolutionary
was attempted: but a common.scns- and
successful effort was made in the dircc-
tion Of seeing that corporations are so
handled as TO suhserve the public good.
The legislation was moderate. II was
| characterized throughout by the idea that
We were not attacking corporations. bat
| endeavorinE TO provide for doing away
i with any evil In them: that We drew the
| line against misconduct. not against
wealth: gladly recognizing the great good
done by capitalists who alone. or In
conjunction with his fellows. does his
|
| The purpose Of the legislation. which pur-
pose will undoubtedly be fuiflied. was to
| favor such a man when he does well. and
| TO supervise his action only TO prevent
him from doing ~. Publicity can do no
| harm to ;he honest corporation. The
only corporation that has cause to dread
u Is the corporation which shTinks from
| tbs light. and about the welfare OF such
| corporations we need not be overscnsitive.
! The work Of the Department Of Com
tacrce and Labor has been conditioned
upon this theory. Of recurring fair treat
meat alike for labor and for capital
Capital and Labor.
The consistent policy of the national
government. so far It has tho power.
Is to hold In check the unscrupuluus man.
whether employer or empioyc: but to re-
fuse &c weaken Individual initiative or
TO hamper or cramp the Industrial deNei-
opmen: Of the country. We recognize
1 that tNls Us an era of freedom and com
binstio7, In which great capitatIstIc cor
poratlors and labor unions have become
factors pf tremendous Importance In all
Industrial centers. Hearty recognition Is
given the fnr-rcachluR. bcneficcnt work
which has been accomplished through
10th corporations and unions. and the
line between different corporations,
as between different unions, Is drawn as
1t Is between different individuals' that
IL, Vt Is drawn on conduct, the effort be.
ing TO treat both organized cs pital mud
| organized labor alike: asking nothing
save the interest OF each shall be brought
into harmony with the Interest OF tho
general public, and that the conduct ui
each shah conform &c the fundamental
rules OF obedience to .. =, of Individual
freedom. aud OF Justice It'd fair dealing
towards all Whencv,r either corpora.
tion, labor union. or individual disre.
Eart's the law or acts In spirit OF arbi-
trary and tyrannous interference with
the rights of others. whether corpora.
tIons or individuals, then where tho
Federal Government has Jurisdiction. II
will see to 1t that the misconduct Is
stopped. paying not the slightest heed tC
| the position or power OF the corporation
the union or the Individual. but only tc
one vital fact-that Is. the question wheth
er or not the conduct OF the individual
or aggregate of individuals is in ac
cordance with the law of the land Every
man must be guaranteed his liberty ant
his right to do as he likes with his prop
a. Id lnnr rr.l Inn. ma. In Aus II a