New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-11-13

mendations TO Congress. mere citation Of the
principles involved may prove sufficient to en-
able Congress intelligently to Iegislate.
II was misconception of the proper inter-
probation Of the wording and intent of this por-
porations mat recently gave rise to report
that O conflict existed between the bureau and
the Department of Justice. 4 certain district
attorney under the Jurisdiction Of the Depart
ment Of Justice applied to the Bureau OF Cor
poratons for Information he believed 1t to pos
sess regarding the Beef Trust His request wa.
refused on the grounds above set FORTH and
the further ground that corporations sup
posed TO be members OF the Beef Trust had vol
unteered information on the assumption tnat 1t
was for the use of the government In framing
a law which Should bear alike on all concerns
rather than that it should be made the basis
OF prosecution Of the informants-
MUCH IMPORTANT WORK PERFORMED.
While therefore. it is not likely that all OF
the information compiled by the Bureau of Cor
porations will now. perhaps ever, be made pub
lie. at least in other than the censored form
which seems judicious to the President, 1t will
be manifest when the report of the Commits
sioner and the message Of the President become
public, that vast amount of important work
has been performed, that a wealth of under
brush has been cleared away and the path made
straight for a more intelligent consideration of
the subject of antitrust legislation than has
hitherto been possible for the Executive or for
Congress.
With reference to the fact that for approx
nnately a year the Commissioner OF Corporations
the Secretary of Commerce and Labor in the
organization of his department. It is pertinent
20 observe that the secretary is charged, in
addition to the investigation OF corporations,
with the promotion of the commerce OF the
United States, it's mining. manufacturing, fish,
ing, shipping transportation and labor inter-
ests. His duties also comprise the gathering
and publication OF information regarding labor
interests and labor controversies in this and
other countries; the administration of the
lighthouse service, and aid and protection TO
shipping thereby; the taking of the census, and
the collection and publication of statistical in
formation connected Herewith the making OF
coast and geodetic surveys; the collecting OF
statistics relating to foreign and domestic COM
merce; the inspection of steamboats, and the
enforcement of laws relating thereto for the
protection of life and property; the supervision
of the fisheries administered by the federal
government: the supervision and control or the
Alaskan fur-seal. salmon and other fisheries;
the jurisdiction over merchant vessels their
registry. licensing. measurement, entry, clear
ance. transfers, movement of their cargoes and
passengers. and laws relating thereto and to
seamen of the United States; the supervision or
the immigration Of aliens, and the enforcement
Of the laws relating thereto and to the exclusion
Of Chinese: the custody. construction, main
tenance and application of standards Of weights
and measurements; and the gathering and sup
plying Of information regarding Industries ana
markets for the fostering of manufacturing. he
has power to call other departments LOT
statistical data obtained by them.