Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1903-12-07

Washington. Dee. 7.-President Pro
TEN Frye at II o'clock declared the
extra session of congress adjourned
without day. He Immediately raped
for order and the chaplain offered
prayer Roll call of the senate fol
lowed
Speaker Cannon brought down the
gavel at noon, convening the house for
the first day of the regular session of
the 5Sth congress.
After the usual routine business the
reading of the presidents message
was taken up. The main points are
as follows:
The country is to be congratulated
on the amount of substantial achieve
ment which has marked the past year
both as regards our foreign and as re-
CARDS our domestic policy.
With a nation as with a 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 di-
rection of providing for the exercise of
supervision over the great corporations
and combinations of corporations en-
gagged in interstate commerce. The
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 enforce
xf 10 nj
by another law it has secured equal
treatment to all producers in the trans
portatiOn of their goods. thus taking
a long stride forward in making effec-
tive the work of the interstate COM
merce commission.
The preliminary work of the bureau
of corporations in the department Of
labor has shown the wisdom of its Gre
alton. Publicity in corporate affairs
will tend to do away with ignorance
and will afford facts upon which intel
hgent action may be taken. Systemat-
ic, intelligent investigation is already
developing facts the knowledge of
which is essential to a right under
standing of the needs and duties of
the business world The corporation
which is honestly and fairly organ
lied, whose managers in the conduct
Of its business recognize their obliga-
ton to deal squarely with their stock
holders, their competitors and the pub
lie, has nothing to fear from such su-
pervision. The purpose of this bureau
is not to embarrass or assail legitimate
business, but to aid in bringing about
a better Industrial condition-a condi-
f1n,, ,s.I
ence to law and recognition of public
obligation by all corporations, great or
small. The department of commerce
and labor will be not only the clearing
house for information regarding the
business transactions of the nation, but
the executive arm of the government
to aid in strengthening our domestic
and foreign markets, in perfecting our
transportation facilities, in building I'D
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 prOgress-capita and
labor.
Capital and Labor.
The consistent policy of the national
government, SO far as it has the power,
is to hold in check the unscrupulous
man, whether employer or employee, but
to refuse to weaken individual initia-
tive or to hamper or cramp the indus
trial development of the country We
recognize that this is an era of fedora
ton and combination, in which great
capitalistic corporations and labor un-
ions have become factors of tremendous
importance in all industrial centers.
Hearty recognition is given the far
reaching, benefcent work which has
been accomplished through both cor
porations and unions. and the line as