The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1904-10-12
PULTTzER'S CHARGES.
WHY ROOSEVELT MADE A BUREAU
OF CORPORATIONS.
George B. corteIyeu Tapping Corpora
lions For Calnuaigu Funds
Grave Question.

crusade for the regulation of the great
corporations with an insistent appeal
for rPublicity in the interests of the
public" You seemed determined to
vindicate the peoples right TO inspect
and examine the workings of the great
corporations engaged in interstate COM
rherce." even IL II were necessary to
amend the Constitution of the United
States. believing. with many corpora
ton lawyers of your own party-and
of the Democratic party. for that mat
ter-that the Sherman law was uncon-
stitutional. You demanded this Pub
licity '.as right from all corp"-ations
affected by the law" and mot as a IA
vor from some corporations"
Your persistence in good cause
finally triumphed. Congress. under the
pressure of the public opinion that You
had so skilfully directed. enacted the
legislation you asked for. 1t created
a Department of Commerce. with Ru-
reau of Corporations. 1t extended the
scone of the Interstate Commerce law
to forbid the giving or receiving of re-
bates. 1t passed an act providing for
the special advancement in the United
States courts of cases arising under
the antitrust laws. 1t gave You the
preparation of S500.000 to enforce stat
spiracies in restraint of trade.
The first thing TO do. MS you said in
your speech at Wheeling. was to ''find
out the facts" Your initial step was
to appoint as your Secretary of Com
merce your private secretary. George
B. Cortelyou. The Bureau of Corpora
tons was organized February 20, 1908
more than nineteen months. more
than eighty weeks-eXactly 5S3 days
ago-yes. exactly Five Hundred and
Eighty-three Days ago.
Will you kindly tell the country:
1. After these $50 days of supposed
activity and official duty. how much
more does the public know about the
conduct and management of these
great corporations than it knew be-
fore?
q After these 5s3 days of supposed
activity and official duty, what single
:witness has been subpoenaed?
7 3. After these 5s3 days of supposed
activity and official duty. what single
witness has been compelled to testify?
4. After these $50 days of supposed
activity and official duty. what docu-
mentary evidence has been produced?
8. After these $50 days of supposed
activity and official duty. what corpor-
| alton magnate has been compelled to
testify under oath as to secret rebates
on freight charges or other acts of con-
spiracy in restraint. of trade?
6. After these $50 days of supposed
activity and official duty, what does
the public know about the work of this
bureau of publicity?
Is there corporation IN the United
States. Mr.. President, whose affairs are
administered in greater secrecy than
are the affairs of your Bureau of Cor
porations, which was created to afford
Publicity in the interest of the pub
licT'
Does the public know any less about
the internal workings of the Standard
Oil Company, for example. than it does
about the internal workings of this
Bureau of Corporations?
Yet in your letter of acceptance you
have-may call it the magnificent au-
dacity?-to declare of tue act creating
this bureau and of the related acts:
The Congress that created the Bu-
reau of Cornorations. which you say,
has been administered with entire
efficiencv." gave you the unique. the
extraordinary appropriation of $780,
600 to enforce existing laws against
cornorations.
What is your record in the exnendi-
ture of this money? About $4,000 OF
it has been spent for the purDose to
which ii was appropriated. The rest
has heen lying idle in the Treasury for
$50 days.
Do you mean to say that You are in
possession of all the data" as TO the
Organization. conduct and manage
ment'' of the business of these corpora
tons? 1t was to collect such data that
the bureau was created.
Do Won mean to saw that this infOr-
nation. or so much thereof as You have
required, has been made public" as
the law SAYS it "shall be?" 1t was to
Insure such publicity that you asked
for this legislation.
On the contrary. Mr.. President. is It
not true that not one word. not one syl-
liable. not one letter has ever appeared
of that proper publicity about which
you talk so glibly?
But when your Presidential cam
paign began and Mr.. Cortelyou had
learned all he needed to know of the
secret business affairs of the great
corporations, you made this Grand In
quisitor of Corporations Chairman of
your National Committee.
And why? Was Mr.. Cortelyou q
member of the National Committee?
No. Was he member of any commit
tee. State or local? No. Had he any
reputation or experience as n campaign
manager? No. Did the veteran politi-
clans of your party desire his appoint
ment? No. Was there-could there be
any reason for his appointment ex-
cept that he knows from "diligent in
vestigation' the business secrets of
these great corporations upon which
you depend for your campaign fund?