The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-07

sentatives: .
The country is to be congratulated
on the amount of substantial achieve
ment which has marked the past year
both as regards our foreign and as
regards our domestic policy.
With a nation, as with a man, the
most important things are those or
the household. and therefore the coun-
try is especially to be congratulated
on what has been accomplished In the
direction of providing for the exercise
of supervision over the, great corpo- |
rations and combinations Of corpora
tions engaged Ill interstate commerce.
The congress has created the depart
1nent Of commerce and labor, 1nclud-
ing the bureau Of corporations, win
for the first time authority to secure
proper publicity of such proceedings
of these great corporations as the pub
lic has the right to know. 1t has pro-
vided for the expediting Of suits for
the enforcement of the federal anti
trust laws; and by another law 1t mas
secured equal treatment to all pro-
Glucers in the transportation of their
goods, thus taking a long stride for
ward in making effective the work or
the interstate commerce commission.
Department of Commerce and Labor.
The establishment Of the depart
ment Of commerce and labor, with the
bureau of corporations hereunder,
marks a real advance in the direction
of doing all that is possible for the
solution of the questions vitality affect
ing capitalists and wage-workers The
act creating the department was ap-
proved on Feb. IA, 1908, and two
days later the head of the depart
unent was nominated and confirmed
by the senate. Since then the work
of organization has been pusned as
rapidly as the initial appropriations
permitted, and with due regard to
thoroness and the broad purposes
which the department is designed to
serve. After the transfer of the va
rious bureaus and branches to the de-
partment at the beginning of the cur
rent fiscal year, as provided for in the
act, the personnel comprised 1888
employees in Washington and S,SS6 In
the country at large. The scope OF
the departments duty and authority
embraces the commercial and indus
trial interests Of the nation. 1t IS not
designed to restrict or control the
fullest liberty Of legitimate business
action, but to secure exact and authen-
tic information which will aid the
executive in enforcing existing laws.
and which will enable the congress to
enact additional legislation, If any
should be found necessary, in order to
prevent the few demonstrating priv
teges at the expense of diminished
opportunities fer. the many.
Bureau, OF Corporations.
The preliminary work of the bureau
of CORPORATIONS in the department has
shown the wisdom of its creation.
Publicity in corporate affairs Will
tend to do away with ignorance and
will afford facts upon which lntein-
gent action may be taken. Syste-
matte, intelligent investigation is al
ready developing facts the knowl-
,>P ic1, tc a,
understanding of the needs and du-
ties Of the business world. The cor
poration which is honestly and fairly
: organized, whose: managers IN tne
conduct of it's business recognize thell
obligation to deal squarely with thell
stockholders, their competitors, anC
the public, has nothing to fear iron
such supervision. The purpose OF thl:
bureau is not to embarrass or assal
legitimate business, but to AID II
bringing about better industrial con
dition-a condition under which ther'
shall be obedience to law and recog
milton of public obligation by all cor
porations, great or small. The dc
partment of commerce and labor viii
be not only the clearing house for in
formation regarding, the +, bushes
transactions of the nation but the eX
ecutive arm Of the government to all
in strengthening our domestic an
foreign markets, lin perfectlng ou
TRANSFORMATION facilities, in bulldln
up our merchant marine, in prevent
ing the entrance of undesirable 1rnml
grants, in improving commercial an
industrial conditions, and: in brlngln
together on common: ground thos
necessary partners in Industrial prog
;ress-capital and labor. sCommerc
between nations Is steadily CROWN
In volume, and the tendency Of tn
times is toward closer trade relation:
Constant watchfulness is needed
secure to Americans the chance t
participate to the best advantage i
foreign trade; and we may confidentl
expect that the new department wi
Justify the expectation of its creator
by. the exercise of this watchfulnes
as we'll as by the businesslike admir-
istration of such laws relating to OF
internal affairs a. are intrusted to i
care. ...... -.
Moderate Legislation.
~. In enacting the. laws above enum
rated, the congress proceeded on sar
and conservative lines, Nothing rev
lutionary was attempted; but con
nonsense and successful effort w;
made in the direction Of seeing th
corporations are so handled as
subserve the public good. The legi
lation was moderate. 1t was cha
acterized thruout by the idea that v
were not attacking corporations, b
endeavoring to provide for ecil
away with any evil in them; that "
drew the line against misconduct n
against wealth; gladly recogn1z1l
the great good done by the capital
who alone, or in conjunction with r
fellows, does his work along prop
and legitimate lines. Thespurpose
the legislation, which purpose Will u
doubtedly be fulfilled, was to fav
such a man when he does we'll, and
supervise his action only to preve
him from doing i'll. Publicity can
no harm to the honest corporate
The only corporation that has eau
to dread it is the corporation viii
shrinks from the light, and about t
welfare Of such corporations we ne
not be over sensitive. The work OF t
department of commerce and lab
has been conditioned upon this theo
of securing fair treatment alike
labor and for capital.
Capital and Labor.
The consistent policy of the natior
government, so far as it has
power, is to hold in check the U
scrupulous man, whether employer
employe; but to refuse to weaken
diVidual initiative or to hamper
r cramp the industrial development
the country. We recognize that tt
Is an era of federation and combir
ton, In which great capitalistic c,
porations and labor unions have