The Meeker herald., 1903-12-12

PRESIDENT HoseveltS message 70 tho
second session Of the Fifty-eiEhth Con-
gress Is substantially ~ follows:
To the Senate and House of Represcs-
tdtives:
With = nation rs with a man the most
important things are those Of the house
hold. and therefore the country II sspe-
cially to be congratulated on what has
been accomplished In the direction Of pro-
viding for the exerchs Of supervision
over the great corporations and combtna-
lions Of corporations engaged In inter-
state commerce. The Congress has ere
Ated the Department Of Commerce and
Labor. including the Bureau Of Corpora
lions. with for the frst time authority to
secure proper publicity OF such proessa-
ings Of these great corporations a. the
public has the right to know. Il has pro-
vided for the expedittns Of suits for tbs
enforcement Of the Federal anti trust
liaw: and ~ another law IL has secured
equal treatment to all preducsrs in the
transportation Of their goods, thus taking
u long stride forward in making efRsctfvs
the work Of the lntsrstats C0mmsrcs
lcommissien.
Department q cemmsres and Labor.
The establishment Of the Department.
lof Commerce and Labor. with the Bureau
of Corporations thsrsundsr. marks real
advance In the direction Of doing ali that
10 possible for tbs solution OF ths aussttoas
vitality affecting capitalists and wage.
workers.
I! FunetIsns Of New Department.
! The preliminary work of the Bureau
.of Corporations In the department has
shown the wisdom Of III oreatien. Pub
Iiicity In corporate Aafaiss win tssd to do
away with ignorance. and via a4sr4
facts upon which lntsliigsnt action may
es taken. Systematic. Intelligent iuvss-
kno~isdss. 4 vhioh = essential to ! r4sht
rnnoefstnn91mg = the needs and Autles sf
the busaAsss world. The cooperation
which = honestly and fairly organised.
whose nADassrs in the conduct Of IL
business recognise their obligation u asal
squArsly with their stockholders. their
leonpetitors. and the public. has nothing
40 fear from such supervision. The pur-
pose Of this bureau " not to smharrass
or assaii iss!timats business. but 70 aid
IN bringing about . better industrial CEN
| Aition-a condition under which there
sthan Be excellence to INV and recognition
;df public OBLIGATION by all corporations.
great or small. The Department Of Com
mstce and Labor will be not only the
clearing house for information regarding
the business transactions Of the nation
hut th4 executive arm Of the government
70 aid In atrsngthentng our domestic and
forsigu markets. In psrfscting our trans-
peetation facilities. In building up our
merchant marine. In preventing the en-
trance Of undesirable Immigrant. in i'm.
proving cnmmerclal and industrial cSndi-
items, and III. bringing Together on COM
NOS ground those necessary partners In
Industrial proGrsss--capitAl and labor.
| Commerce between the nations IL stead
1ly growing in volume. and the tendency
OF the times 10 toward closer trade rela-
tions. Constant watchfulness u needed
to secure to Americana the chance to par
l ttcipate to the best advantage in foreign
trade; and We may confidently expect
| that. the new department will Justify the
AxPectatlon Of Its creators by the sxer-
else Of this watchfulness a. well a. BY
l the businsssliks administration Of such
laws relating to our internal AFFAIR." A.
are intrusted to Its care
In enaoSing the laws above enumerated
| the Congress proce sded on sane and con-
| eervntivs lines. Nothing revolutionary
was attempted: but a common sense and
successful effort was made in the direc-
| ton Of seeing that corporations are go
handled a. to subserve the public good.
The leEisls ton was moderate. It was
| characterized throughout by the idea that
We were not attacking corporations. but
| endsavorinE to provide for doing away
With any evil in them, that We drew the
| line against misconduct. not against
wealth; gladly recognising the great good
done by capitalists who alone. or In
conjunction with his fellows. does his
work along proper and legitimate lines.
The purpose of the lssisla ton. which pur-
pose will undoubtedly be fulfilled. was to
favor such man when he does well. and
to supervise his action only to prevent
him from doing III. Publicity can do no
harm to the honest corporation. This
only corporation that has cause to dread
| It 10 the corporation which shrinks from
the light, and about the welfare of such
corporations We need not be oversensitive.
The work OF the Department Of Com
r,srce and Labor has been conditioned
upon this theory. of securing fair treat
nnent alike for labor and for capital.
Capital and Labor.
The consistent policy or the national
government. 40 far a. II has the power,
10 to hold in check the INSCRIPTIONS man.
| whether employer or employe: but to re-
ause to weaken individual initiative or
40 hamper Or crnmp the Industrial devel-
cpfnent OF the country. We recognise
that this 10 an era of freedom and COM
sination. In which great capitalistic cor
psratioas and labor unlons have become
factors OF Tremendous importance in all
given the far-reachins, benehcent work
| which has been accomplished through
beth corporations and unions, and the
line az between di6erent corporations,
| A. between different unions. 10 drawn as
u u between different individuals: that
10. II 10 drawn on conduct. the effort be-
Ing TO treat both organised capital and
| organized labor alike: asking nothing
ave the interest Of each shall bs brought
into harmony with the Interest of the
| genera! public. and that the conduct of
each shall conform to the fundamental
/ rules Of obedience to Law. Of individual
| freedom. and Of Justice and fair dealing
towards ALL WhsusvW either corpora