The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-12-08

the Fifty-eighth Congress To-Day, AT
the opening of the regular session, the
message of President Roosevelt was
read. The message was as follows:
To the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives: The country is to be con-
graduated on the amount of substan-
tial achievement which has marked the
past year both as regards our foreign
and as regards our domestic policy.
With nation as with man the
most important things are those of the
household, and therefore the country is
especially to be congratulated on what
has been accomplished in the direction
of providing for the exercise OF super
vision over the great corporations and
combinations of corporations engaged
in interstate commerce. The Congress
has created the Department Of Com
merce and Labor, including the Blu
reau of Corporations, with for the hrst
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 treat
1nent to all producers in the transpor-
tation of their goods thus taking a
long stride forward in making effective
the work of the Interstate Commerce
Commission.
The establishment of the Department
of Commerce and Labor. with the Bu-
reau of Corporations hereunder, marks
q real advance in the direction of do
ing all that is possible for the solution
of the questions vitality affecting cap
italists and wage-workers. The act
creating the department was approved
on Feb IA, 1903, and two days later
the head of the department was nomi-
mated and confirmed by the Senate.
Since then the work of organization
has been pushed as rapidly as the mi
tial appropriations permitted, and with
due regard to thoroughness and the
broad purposes which the department
is designed to serve. After the trans
fer of the various bureaus and
branches to the department at the be-
ginning of the current fiscal year, as
provided for in the act, the personnel
comprised 1883 employees in Washing
ton and 1886 in the country at large.
The scope of the departments duty and
authority embraces the commercial and
industrial interests of the nation. IL
is not designed to restrict or control
the fullest liberty of legitimate bust
ness action, but to secure exact ana
authentic information which Will ala
the executive in enforcing existing
laws, and which will enable the Con-
gress to enact additional legislation,
if any should be found necessary, in
order to prevent the few from obtain
ing privileges at the expense of dimin-
ished opportunities for the many.
Its wisdom shown.
The preliminary work of the Bureau
of Corporations in the department has
shown the wisdom of it's creation. Pub
licity in corporate affairs will tend to
tenn an =
ford facts upon which intelligent ac-
ton may be taken. Systematic, intel
ligent investigation is already develop
ing facts the knowledge of which is
essential to a right understanding OF
the needs and duties of the business
world. The corporation which is hon
estly and fairly organized, whose man
ayers in the conduct of its business
recognize their obligation to deal
squarely with their stockholders, their
competitors, and the public. has moth
ing to fear from such supervision. The
purpose of this bureau is not to embar-
rass or assail legitimate business, put
10 aid in bringing about a better m
dustrial conditional condition under
which there shall be obedience to law
and recognition of public obligation by
all corporations, great or small Inc
Department of Commerce and Labor
will be not only the clearing house for
information regarding the business
transactions of the nation, but the eX-
ecutive arm of the government to aid
in strengthening our domestic and for
eign markets. in perfecting our trans
portation facilities, in building up our
merchant marine, in preventing the
entrance Of undesirable immigrants, in
improving commercial and industrial
conditions, and in bringing together on
common ground those necessary part
ners in industrial ogress-capital and
labor. Commerce between the nations
is steadily growing in volume, and the
tendency of the times is toward closer
trade relations. Constant watchful-
ness is needed to secure to Americans
the chance to participate to the best
advantage in foreign trade: and we
may confidently expect that the new
department will justify the expectation
of its creators by the exercise of this
watchfulness, as we'll as by the bust
nesslike administration of such laws
relating TO our internal affairs as are
intrusted to its care.
Was Nothing Revolutionary.
In enacting the laws above enumerat-
ed the Congress proceeded on sane
and conservative lines. Nothing revolt
utionary was attempted; but COM
mon sense and successful effort was
corporations are so handled as to sub
serve the public good The legislation
was moderate. 1t was characterized
throughout by the idea that we were
not attacking corporations, but en-
deavoring 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 fell
lows, does his work along proper and
legitimate lines. The purpose of the
legislation, which purpose will undoubt-
eddy be fulfilled. was to favor such a
man when lie does well, and to super
wise his action only to prevent him
from doing i'll. Publicity can do no
harm to the honest corporation. The only
corporation that has cause to dread il
is the corporation which shrinks from
the light. and about the welfare of
such corporations we need not be over
sensitive. The work of the Depart
nent of Commerce and Labor has been
conditioned upon this theory, of Sc
curing fair treatment alike for labor
and for capital.
The consistent policy of the National
government, so far as il has the power,
is to hold in check the INSCRIPTIONS
man, whether employer or employe;
but to refuse to weaken individual
initiative or to hamper or cramp the
industrial development of the coun-
try. We recognize that this is an era
of federation and combination, in
which great capitalistic corporations
and labor unions have become factors
of tremendous Importance in all in
dustrial centers. Hearty recognition is