The National tribune., 1903-02-19

believes that the plan for giving to
the Bureau the same power with re-
| spect to inquiries into the workings OF
corporations engaged in Interstate COM
merce that is enjoyed by the Interstate
Commerce Commission with respect to the
| railroads, cannot but be productive of
great good in opening the way for obtain
ing valuable information. He stood for
his amendment in the Commerce Commit
tee of the Senate and was able to carry
the day in the conference. and secure its
adoption in substantially the form it was
originally proposed by him.
| 1t is generally conceded that the "Nel-
son amendment" Che provision Immediate
~ following is the most effective Anti
Trust legislation enacted up to this time by
the present Congress.
WHAT THIS BUREAU Is.
| The law provides for n Commissioner of
Corporations at 5000 per annum. and a
Deputy Commissioner Mt $500. The fol-
lowing duties are prescribed:
| 1.-The said Commissioner shall have pow
er and authority to make, under the drec-
ton and control of the Secretary of Com
merce and Labor, dilgent investigation
| into the organization, conduct, and man
agement of the business of any corpora
| ton. joint stock company, or corporate
| cOmbina ton engaged ill commerce among
| the several States and with foreign ma
! tons. excepting common carriers subject
! to AN act TO regulate commerce, APP
proved February 4, 1887, and to gather
such Information and data as will enable
the President of the United States to
| make recommendations TO Congress for
| legislation for tie regulation of such COM
merce, and to report such data to the
| President from time to time as he shall
| require; and the information so obtained,
| or as much thereof as the President may
direct, shall be made public.
I'm order to accomplish the purposes de-
| clared in the foregoing part of this section,
the said Commissioner shall have and ex-
ercise the same power and authority in
respect to corporations. joint-stock COM
paDies. and combinations subject to the
provisions hereof as is conferred on the
Interstate Commerce Commission in said
Act to regulate commerce and the amend
ments thereto in respect to common carriers
| so far as the same may be applicable. in
Guiding the right to subpoena and compel
the attendance and testimony of witnesses
and the production of documentary evil
dence and to administer oaths.
IAN the requirements, obligations. liza
bilities. and imnuEities imposed or con-
ferred by said Act to regulate commerce
and by AN act in relation to testimony
before the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion,' etc, approved February II, 1893.
supplemental to said Act to regulate COM
merce.' shall also apply to all persons who
may be subpenaed to testify as witnesses
or to produce documentary evidence in
pursuance of the authority conferred by
this section.
ut shall also be the province and duty
of said Bureau, under the direction of the
Secretary Of Commerce and Labor, to
gather. compile. publish, and supply useful
information concerning corporations doing
business within the limits of the United
States as shall engage in Interstate con-
merce or in commerce between the United
States and any foreign country, including
corporations engaged in insurance. and to
attend TO such other duties as may be
hereafter provided by law"
THE BUREAU OF MANUFACTURES.
The other new Bureau provided for in
the law is that of Manufactures, the func-
lions of which are prescribed as follows:
at shall be the province and duty of
said Bureau, under the direction of the
Secretary, to foster, promote. and develop
the various manufacturing industries OF
the United States, and markets for the
same at home and abroad, domestic and
foreign, by gathering, compiling, publish
ing, and supplying all available and use
full information concerning such industries
and such markets, and by such ether
methods and means as may be prescribed
by the Secretary or provided by law. And
all Consular officers of the United States,
including Consuls-General, COnsuls, and
Commercial Agents, are hereby required,
and it is made n part of their duty, under
the direction of the Secretary of State. to
gather and compile, from time to time.
useful and material information and sta
tisticS in respect to the subjects enumer
ated in section three of this Act in the
countries and places to which such Con-
sular officers are accredited, and to send,
4 IL e
State, reports as often as required by the
Secretary of Commerce and Labor of the
information and statistics thus gathered
and compiled"
HEAD OF THE NEW DEPARTMENT.
Hon. George B. Cortelyou. of New
York, Secretary to the President, has been
appointed to the head of the new Depart
ment under the title of Secretary of Com
merce and Labor" and his nomination was
confirmed by the Senate, Feb. 16. There
seems to be practically universal scquies- |
cence in the fitness of this appointment
and great confidence in the success of the
appointee. Mr.. Cortelyou is young man
for SO important a trust-one of the
sition. He was born in the City of New
York, July 26, 1862. He was educated
in the public and private schools of that
city, and graduated at the State Normal
School of Massachusetts, at Westheld. He
adopted the profession of law reporter. in |
which he was very successful, but spent |
four years. from 1885 to 1889. as principal
of preparatory schools in New York. In |
the latter year Mr.. Cortelyou entered the |
public service, and has been private sec |
rotary to various public officials, among |
them the Fourth Assistant Postmaster |
General. In Nov, 1885, he was appointed |
to President Cleveland; in |
1898, Assistant Secretary to President |
Mckinley, and since April 49, 1901, he |
has been Secretary to the President, under |
both Mckinley and Roosevelt.
OPENING OF A CAREER.
An interesting story is told of what was |
probably the turning point in the fortunes |
of Mr. Cortelyou. One day at the close |
of a Cabinet meeting, in 1895, President |
Cleveland remarked: 81 wish you gentle |
men would remember that am in need of |
a first-class shorthand man up here. Some |
of you must have in the thousands of |
clerks in the Departments a good man |
for me-" |
The members of the Cabinet looked |
from one to another, and the first to speak |
lieve / have in mind the very man you |
want" said he. "He is handsome young |
fellow, as smart as lightning, as methodi- |
cal as a machine, and q gentleman above |
everything"
THAT'S the man 1 want" replied Mr.. |
Cleveland. where is he now?'
''The man l have in mind is a New |
Yorker, named Cortelyou," replied Mr.. |
Bissell. He is now private secretary to |
Fourth Assistant General |
Maxwell. l will send him up tomorrow"
T. 4