The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-03-26

HOUSE.
various subdivisions of the department
well in hand, though the actual opera
lions of most of them do not begin TN
til the opening of the next fiscal year
on July l. By that time Secretary Cor
teIyou viii have his machinery running
smoothly. Stnoothness is characters
tic of the man. ard there is pretty sure
to be very little Unnecessary friction or
wasted energy in any enterprise under
his direction.
The long list of burea us, old and
new, comprising the department of
commerce and labor sufficiently indi-
Gates the varied character of the work
laid out for Mr.. Cortelyou. and to sue
cessfully meet these duties he needs all
the energy. versatility and executive
ability of which he is credited with
being possessed. AS the head of this
new governmental machine he will be
regulator of industrial combinations,
an investigator Of labor disputes, a pro-
moter of foreign trade. fosterer Of man
ufactures, supreme sealer of weights
and measures, guardian of the. mari
ners along the coasts protector of food
fishes, adjuster of boundary lines be-
tween the, states of the Union and SUI
pervisor of immigration, besides per-
forming other functions. including that
Of an adviser, in common with other
cabinet officers, Of the president Of the
United States. All this is no easy task,
but it must be remembered that George
Cortelyou is ''chock full of days work."
There are no big p!ums and no sine
cures under this new department The
secretary will, of course, receive the
regular cabinet salary of $4,000, every
cent of which he must spend if he de-
sires TO shine in society. As a matter
of fact several cabinet officers expend
three times their salary for living ex
penses at the capital.
As to perquisites, there are very few.
His official messenger" may be de-
tailed to serve as his butler or valet de
chamber If he so desires. and several
carriages and span OF. horses are fur
nished by the government for his use
They are cared for in stable attached
to the department, aud Uncle Sam pays
for their feed and grooming. The sec
retary's coaehman and footman are
also paid out of the public funds.
The highest salary in the department
below that of the secretary is but
$1,000. This is the pay fixed for the as
sistant secretary and several of the
bureau chiefs. Under the state de-
partment, for instance, they run as
high as 1880. the pay of anbassa-
doris. Under the war and navy depart
ments there ire officers drawing. more
pay than the secretary
The most conspicuous subdivision OF
the department is the bureau of corpo-
Tations. II was brought into being by
the famous Nelson amendment At
It's head is the commissioner Of eorpo-
rations, with d salary Of 5000. APP
pointed by the president. who named
James r. Garfield as the FIRST incum-
bent of the office The deputy commits
sioneT is allowed $500. Below these
provision is made for a chief clerk.
corps Of special agents and 4 consider
able force of clerks Ii his inyestfga-
tions Of American corporations, joint
stock companies. corporate eombina-
fions, etc. engaged in interstate and
foreign trade the commissioner will
have the power to subpoena witnesses
and compel them to give testimony or
TO produce documentary evidence I'M
der oath. His powers will apply to all
corporations, etc. except the transpor-
tatlon companies falling within the iu-
risdfetion Of the Interstate commerce
commission Subpnnaed witnesses fail
ing to give testimony win be punished
Tor contempt and are liable to writs of
injunction restraining their business
until they comply No witness before
the commissioner Of corporations will
be subjected to any penalty for what
ne tastifies unless he perfumes himself.
But his failure to testify will make
him liable to a fine OF from S10u to
$500, Imprisonment up to one year or