Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1903-12-08
10 tile Senate and House of Represent

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10 tile Senate and House of Represent
atiyes:S
The country is to be congratulated
on the amount OF substantial achieve
inent which has marked the past year
both as regards our foreign and as re-
CARDS our domestic policy
With a nation. as With Il man, tie
most important things are those OF the
household, and therefore the country
is especially ITO be congratulated ON
what has been accomplished in the di-
rection of providing for the exercise of
supervision over the great corporations
and combinations OF corporations e.
gagged i'll Interstate commerce. Inc
congress has created the department
Of commerce and labor, including 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. 1t has provided for the
expediting of suits for The enforcement
of the federal antitrust law, and by
another law it has secured equal treat
ment to all producers in the Transports
ton Of their goods. thus taking Il long
stride forward in making effective the
work Of the interstate commerce COM
mission.
The establishment of the department
of commerce and labor, with the bu-
reau of corporations Hereunder, marks
real advance in the direction OF doing
all that is possible for the solution of
the questions vitality affecting capital
lists and wageworkers. The act Great
ing the department was approved OH
Feb. IA. 1903. and two days later the
head of the department was nominated
and confirmed by the senate. Since
then the work of organization has been
pushed as rapidly as the initial appro-
priations permitted and with due re-
gard to thoroughness and the broad
purposes which the department is de-
signed to serve. After the transfer of
the various bureaus and branches to
the department at the beginning of the
current fiscal year, as provided for in
the act. the personnel comprised l,2S9
employees in Washington and S.S36 in
the country at large. The scope of the
departments duty and. authority en-
braces the commercial and Industrial
interests of the nation. 1t is not de-
signed to restrict or control the fullest
liberty Of legitimate business action,
I to secure exact and authentic infor-
ion which will aid the executive i'll
rcing existing laws and which will
lie the congress to enact additional
alton. if any should be found nee
i'll order to prevent the few from
ing privileges at the expense OF
4nished opportunities for the many
ne preliminary work Of the bureau
corporations in the department has
liown the wisdom of its creation. Pub
llcity in corporate affairs will tend TO
do away with ignorance and will afford
facts upon which intelligent action may
be taken. Systematic, intelligent inves
tigation is already developing facts the
knowledge of which Is essential tOssl
right understanding of the needs and
duties of the business world The cor
poration which is honestly and fairly
organized. whose managers in the con
duct of its business recognize their OBJ
legation 10 deal squarely with theb
stockholders, their eolnE etitois and Tie
public, has nothing TO fear froia such
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