The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-08
 THE PRESIDENT s NESSAGE

Roosevelt's message to congress. which was read to the body yesterday, is as fol- lows:
 To the Senate and House of Representa- tives:
 The country is to be congratulated on the amount of substantial achievement which has marked the past year both as regards our foreign and as regards our domestic policy.
 Corporations.
 With nation as with man, the most important things are those of the house hold, and therefore the country is es- peoially to be. congratulated on what has been accomplished in the direction of pro- xiding for the exercise of supervision over the great corporations and combinations of corporations engaged in interstate commerce. The congress has created the department of commerce and labor. in cIuding the bureau of corporations with for the first time authority to secure proper publicity of such proceedings of these great corporations as the public has the right to know. It has provided for the expediting of suits for the enforce ment of the federal antitrust law; and by another law it has secured equal treat ment to all producers in the transpofta- tion of their goods, thus taking a long stride forward in making effective the work of the interstate commerce comms- sion. Department of Commerce and Labor. 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 dues- tions vtally affecting capitalists and Wage-w workers. The act creating the de- partment was approved February II, 1903, and two days later the head of the de- partment was nominated and confirmed bv the senate Since then the work of organization has been pushed rapidly as the initial appropriations permitted, ana with due regard to thoroughness and the broad purposes which the department is designed to serve, After the transfer or fhe various bureau and branches to the department at the beginning of the cur rent fiscal year, as provided for Tn the net. the personnel comprised 12S9 employees in Washington and SS36 in the country at large. The scope of the departments duty and authority embraces the conner eial and industrial interests of the nation. It is not designed to restrict or control the fullest liberty of legitimate business action, but to secure eAdct anu hhthShNAS information which will aid the executive in enforcing existing laws, and which will enable the congress to enact addition al legislation, if any should be found ne- cessary, in order to prevent the few rom obtaining privileges at the expense of di- unfinished opportunities for the many
 Bureau oi Corporations.
 The preliminary work of the bureau of corporations in the department has shown the wisdom of its creation, Pub licity in corporate affairs will tend to do away with ignorance, and will afferd facts upon which intelligent action may be taken. Systematic, intelligent inVesti- gation is already developing facts the knowledge of which is essential to right understanding of the needs and duties Of the business world. The corporation which is honestly and fairly organized. whose managers in the conduct or us business recognize their obligation to deal sduarely with their stockholders, their competitors, and the public, has nothing to fear from such supervision. The pur' nose of this bureau is not to embarrass or assail legitimate business, but to aid Tn bringing about better industrial conul- ton-a condition under which there snail be obedience to law and recognition or public obligation by all corporations great or small. The department Of com merce ana 1dDOT Will Dc hOb 0Aif5 NNo clearing house for Information regarding +he business transactions of the nation, lut the executive arm of the government to aid in strengthening our domestic and foreign markets, in perfecting our trans nortation facilities, in building up our merchant marine, in preventing the en- trance of undesirable immigrants, III improving commercial and industrial con ditions, and in bringing together on com- tbOSp necessary partners III industrial progress-capital and labor Commerce between the nations is stead ily growing in volume. and the tendency of the times is toward closer trade fela- tions Constant watehfulness is needed to secure to Americans the chance to participate to the best advantage in for eign trade and we may confidently expect that the new department will justify the expectation of it's creators by the exer- else of this watchfulness, as well as by the businesslike administration of such laws reletin to our internal affairs as are intrusted to it's care
 Functions of New Department.
 In enacting the laws above enumerated the congress proceeded on sane and con servative lines. Nothing revolutionary. was attempted; but common-sense and successful effort was made in the direc- tion of seeing that corporations are so handled as to subserve the public good. The legislation was moderate. It was characterized throughout by the idea that we were not attacking corporations, but endeavoring to provide for doing away with any evil in them; that we drew the line against misconduct, not against wealth; gladly recognizing the great good done by the capitalist who alone, or in conjunction with his fellows, does his work along proper and legitimate lines. The purpose of the Legislation, 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. The only corporation that has cause to dread it is the corporation which shrnks from the light, and about the welfare of such corporations we need not be over-sens- tive. The work of the department of commerce and labor has been conditioned upon this theory of securing fair treat ment alike for labor and for capital.
 Capital and Labor.
 The consistent policy of the national government, so far as it has the power, is to hold In check the unscrupulous man, whether employer or employe; but to re- fuse to weaken individual initiative or to hamper or cramp the industrial develop ment of the country. We recognize that