The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-08

- the Senate and House OF Repre-
Ia" sentatives: The country Is TO be
4 congratulated on the amount OF
- substantial achievement WHICH
EE13N has marked the past year both as
1871 regards our foreign and as re-
CARDS our domestic policy.
With nation as with Il man the most
important things are those OF the house,
hold. and therefore the country Is especially
20 be congratulated on what has been &C.
complished in the direction OF providing Tor
corporations and combinations OF corpora
tons engaged ia interstate commerce The
Congress has created the Department o.
Commerce and Labor, including the Burede
OF Corporations, with for the frst time
authority to secure proper publicity or such
proceedings OF these great corporations a.
the public has the right TO know 1t mas
provided for the expediting OF suits for the
enforcement of the federal antitrust law
and by another law II has .ecured equai
treatment TO all producers in the trans
portation of their goods. thus taking long
stride forward in making effective the work
OF the Interstate-commerce Commission.
The New Department.
The establishment of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor. with the Bureau OF
Corporations Hereunder, marks real ad-
vance in the direction of doing all that Is
possible for the solution of the questions
vitality affecting capitalists and wage
was approved on Feb. IA, 1903. and two
days later the head of the department was
nominated and confirmed by the Senate.
Since then the work OF organiZauon mas
been pushed as rapidly as the lnitlal ap
preparations permitted, and with due regard
to thoroughness and the broad purposes
which the department Is designed 10 serve.
After the transfer OF the various bureaus
and branches to the department at the pc
ginning of the current fiscal year, as pro-
vided for In the act, the personnel com,
prised 80 employees In washington anu
aS3s I'm the country at large Inc scope OF
the departments duty and authority en-
braces the commercial and Industrial inter
ests OF the Nation. IL is not designed TO re-
strict or control the fullest liberty OF leeit-
innate business action, but TO secure exac.
and authentic Information when VIII alu
the executives in enforcing Its exislung laws
and which Will enable additional leglslatlon,
II any should be found. necessary, In order
TO prevent the few from obtaining privl-
lexes at the expense of diminished oppor-
tunities for the many.
Bureau of Corporations.
The preliminary work Of the Bureau or
Corporations In the department has shown
the wisdom of it's creation Publicity IN
corporate affairs will tend to do away with
ignorance and will afford facts upon which
intelligent action may be taken. Systemat-
&c. intelligent investigation Is already de-
veloping facts the knowledge OF which Is
essential TO right UNDERSTANDING Oh tie
needs and duties OF the business world.
The corporation which Is honestly ana 1air-
Iy organized whose managers in the con-
duct OF its business recognize their oDll-
cation to deal squarely with their stock
holders their competitors and the public,
has nothing to fear from such supervision.
The purpose OF this bureau Is not TO en-
barrass or assail legitimate business, but
TO aid In bringing about better industrial
condition. condition under which there
shall be obedience to law and recognition of
public obligation by all corporations, great
or small.