The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-25

foreign commerce was much dwelt Up
on in the debates over the bill; also
the importance at this time when the
United States is trying to conquer the
markets of the world, of having a de-
partment that would assist in that
contamination by every honorable
method.
The bureau of manufactures will
have direct charge of this subject of
domestic and foreign commerce. This
is one of the new bureaus of the de-
partment, but it has not yet been or
ganized, nor has its chief who is to
have salary of $4,000 a year been
appointed. The duties prescribed for
this bureau are, under the direction
OF the secretary, to foster, promote and
develop the various manufacturing in
dustries of the United States and mar
kets for the same at home and abroad
domestic and foreign by gathering.
compiling, publishing. and supplying
all available and useful information
concerning such industries and such
markets and by such other methods
and means as may be prescribed by
the secretary and provided by law"
All consular officers are required by
the same organic act to gather and
compile from time to time useful and
material information and statistics to
such an end.
The wide scope of the new depart
ment is further emphasized by pro-
visions for fostering and developing,
not only foreign and domestic COM
merce, manufacturing and fisheries.
but mining, shipping, labor and trans
portation facilities. But as to land
transportation the department has
been curtailed by the elimination of
the Interstate Commerce Bureau from
its jurisdiction. That bureau, having
jurisdiction over railroads within the
provisions of laws of Congress, was
placed in the department by the House,
but such protest arose from the rail-
roads themselves that the bureau was
allowed to remain independent
But of superlative interest in the
United States just at present is the
work before the Bureau of Corpora
tons, because it is authorized to deal
with one phase of the trust question
The new commissioner of that bureau,
Mr. Garfield, is man of ability, but
he is young man and untried in such
fields of activity. Large powers are
invested in him, and, of course, more
so in the secretary, who is his imme-
date chief The commissioner is given
power and authority to make, under
direction of the Secretary of Com
merce, "diligent investigation into the
organization, conduct and nagement
of the business of any corporation or
joint stock company or corporate COM
bination engaged in commerce among
the several states and with foreign ma
tons, and to gather such information
and data as will enable the President
of the United States to make recon-
mendations to Congress for legislation
for the regulation of such commerce"
Authority is also conferred to inquire
into divers questions affecting the
operations of corporations doing inter-
state or foreign business but the in
formation acquired shall be made pub
lie or not as the President may direct.
These provisions are the o-called pub
lcity provisions against trusts, of
which much has beent heard here in
the last few months. By some law
makers they are declared colorless but
it is probably true that under a vigor-
Gus and aggressive Secretary of Com
merce much could be done under this
law to make the trusts tremble. In
his duties as secretary to the Presi-
dent, Mr. Cortelyou carried himself so
as to convince many people that he
will make just that kind of a Secretary
of Commerce. He is level-headed and
careful and will hardly make any rad
ical moves till he is sure of his ground.
OF course this kind of work is very
largely new to him, for he has not had
a business training. But he mas an OPP
portunity ahead of him, as secretary
of the new department beyond the OPP
portunities of any other officer of the
cabinet, for the new department is
possible of many important things
In weak hands the department would
accomplish little but the country and
the President have great confidence in
Mr.. Cortelyou and there is no reason
to believe they will be disappointed.