Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1903-12-10
OTHER SUBJECTS.

| lHl lUfUl lNllS, anu, DtplUulHR nine years
| from that dnIe. an annual payment Of
50.0OO during the life of the convention.
OTHER SUBJECTS.
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 do
! nestle policy.
With Il nation as with a man the most
| important things are those of the house
hold, and therefore the country Is espe-
ciallV to be congratulated on what has
been accomplished In the direction of pro-
viding for the exercise of supervision over
the great corporations and combinations of
corporations engaged in interstate. com
merce. The congress has created the de-
partment of commerce and labor, including
the bureau of corporations, with for the
first time authority to secure proper pub
lefty 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 treatment to all producers
In the transportation of their goods thus
taking a long stride forward in making
effective the work Of che interstate COM
mcrce commission.
The establishment of the department Of
commerce and labor, with the bureau of
corporations Hereunder, marks a real ad-
vance In the direction of doing all that is
possible for the solution Of the questions
vi,Ally affecting capitalists and wage
workers. The act creating the department
was approved on February IA, 1903, and
two days later the head of the department
was nominated and confirmed by the sen
ate. Since then the work of organization
has been pushed as rapidly as the initial
appropriations permitted, and with due re-
poses which the department is designed to
serve. After the transfer of the various
bureaus and branches to the department. at
the beginning of the current fiscal year.
.1.N1 NltA al
comprised 1889 employees in Washington
and 1886 In the country at large. The
scope of the departments duty and au
thortv embraces the commercial and in
designed TO restrict or control tn" fullest
liberty OF legitimate business action. but
to secure exact and authentic information
which will aid the executive in enforcing
existing laws. and which will enable the
congress to enact additional legislation If
any should hc found necessary. In order to
prevent the few from obtaining privileges
at the expense of diminished opportunities
for the many,
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 win afford facts upon which
intelligent action may be taken. system
attic, intelligent investigation Is already de
vcloplng facts the knowledge of which Is
essential to right understanding OF the
moods and duties OF the business world
The corporation which Is honestly and
fairly organized whose managers in the
conduct Of lis business RECOGNIZES their OBJ
lgntlOn 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-
harrNss or assail legitimate business. but
to mid In bringing about a better Industrial
cOndition--a condition under which thNrc
shall be obedience to law and recognition
of public obligation Nv all corporations,
great or small. The department of com.
'-orCo and labor viii hc not only the cl""r-
'Nr hnnHe for information regarding the
| business transactions Of the nation hut
the executive arm of the government to
Md In strengthening our domestic and for
clgn markets In ncrfccting our trnnSn9rtn-
! ticn facilities, In building mp our merchant
| marine. In preventing the entrance Of N.
| desirable immigrants, In imnroving con-
mcrcIal ana industrial conditions. and In
| bringing together on common ground those
| necessary mariners in industrial progress
! nations Is steadily growing In volume. md
! the tendency of tho timos Is tn"'"r1 clNser
trade relations Constant watchfulness is
! needed to secure tO Americans the chance
| to participate to the best advantage in for
| cign trade: and we may confidently expect
! that the new department Will Justify the
| expectation of Its creators by the exercise
| Of this watchfulness, Ms we'll MS by the
| businesslke administration Of such laws
| relating to our internal affairs rs are In
| trusted TO Its care.
| III pnUelluE tue laws HnONt tuuIltEHlt'l
| the congress proceeded on sane and CON
| servativc lines Nothing revolutionary was
| attempted; hut n common sense and sue.
| ccssful effort was made in the direction OF
| seeing that corporations are so handled as
| to suhscrve the public good, The legisla.
| tlon was moderate, 1t was characterized
| throughout Ivy the Idea that we were not
attacking corporations, but eudcavorng
! 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 purpose will I'm
! doubleday he fulfilled, was to favor such Il
man when he does well. and "a supervise
hts action only 10 prevent him from doing
III. Publicity can do no harm TO the hon
est corporation. The only corporation that
has cause to dread II Is the corporation
: which shrinks from the light. and about
the welfare OF such corporations we need
not he ovcr-seustive. The work of the de
partment Of commerce aud labor has been
conditioned upon this ,neory OF securing
fair treatment alike FOR labor and 10,
capital
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
The consistent policy OF the untlnna
government. so far rs II has tho nnwar 4,