The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-12-17
|R0GUES CALLER i. (.
|. TRuSTS:.ls PROPOSED
Secretary Metcalf Investigate
ing the Records Of Several
Thousand Corpora
tions..
Head Of Commerce and Labor
Department Tells of Work
For the Year Just
Closing.

ment of Commerce and Labor, informs
Congress in his annual report that he
is working hard on the trust PROPOSE
ton.
Mr.. Metcalf states that the records
Of some 1900 corporations have been
investigated by the department and the
information obtained tabulated and
carefully compiled.
On the subject Of the beef trust he
promises that a special report will be
submitted shortly.
Speaking generally on the subject Of
trusts, Secretary Metcalf says:
For the purpose of laying the
foundation upon which direct investig-
atoms Of special corporations can be
intelligently conducted, the bureau has
compiled from sources other than the
corporations themselves all available
information regarding certain leading
combinations. From a careful analysis
Of this material it has been possible
to form preliminary judgments regard
Ing the economic and financial prac-
tices and effects Of combinations in
general.
Compiling Trust Law.
There is now ready for publication
a compilation of the Federal and State
statutes dealing with liberal industrial
combinattons-the so-called antitrust
laws. This will afford complete in
formation Of such laws, showing in
tabular and condensed form, 50 as to
be readily available and easily COM
parable, their provisions, including the
decisions hereunder and a digest and
discussion Of cases.
The results Of the investigation of
the beef industry, authorized by re-
solution of Congress, will be made the
subject of a special report
The insurance business and the laws
governing it are considered as follows:
1.-THE compilation on uniform out
line of insurance laws has been un-
dertaken and completed in ten States.
Federal control or regulation Of in
surance raises at the outset the uues-
ton whether insurance in any Of it's
forms is Interstate commerce. The
decisions Of the Supreme Court Of the
United States have established the
legal proposition that fire, life, and
marine insurance, in the forms pre-
sented to the court, are not interstate
commerce. If this proposition be ir-
revocably settled, the powers Of the
Commissioner or Corporations in ref
erence to Insurance are merely to COL
lect and compile such statistics and
information as may be voluntarily
furnished to him.
The rapid development Of insurance
business, its extent, the enormous
amount of money and the diversity of
interests involved, and the present
business methods suggest that under
existing conditions insurance is COM
merce, and may be subjected to Fed
eral regulation.
Work Of Laber Bureau.
The bureau Of labor and it's work of
gathering information in regard to la
Dor, the cost Of living and production,
strikes, and wages, are set forth, and
the promise is made that the next
annual report will deal extensively
with convict labor
Figures are given, collected by the
bureau Of statistics. now part Of this
department, on the commerce of the
United States, most Of which have al
ready been given publicity. The total
imports Of the year 1903 are stated at
1891, 0S7, 371, and the exports $1,460, 827,-
271, making the total foreign commerce
OF the year $2,451, 914, 652, SURPRISING
the total of the preceding year by &c.
053, 726, and breaking all previous rec
ords.
The disaster Of the General slocum
in New York in which 957 lives were
lost, is touched upon, and the Board
Of Supervising Inspectors Of the
Steamboat Inspection Service is now
considering a revision Of the rules of
the service, and efforts have been
made everywhere to make inspection
SO strict that another such disaster
would ba impossible.
Wireless. TeIegraphy.
1.-THE Interdepartmental Board ap-
pointed by the President to consider
the entire question Of wireless tele-
graphy in the service Of the national
government has recommended that the
Department of Commerce and Labor
should have the duty Of issuing lie
enses for wireless telegrahptc marine
stations in special cases, under such
regulations as will prevent interference
with stations necessary to the national
defense. It has also recommended that
all private stations in the interior of
the country should be under the super
vision Of the Department Of Commerce
and Labor: To prevent the control of
wireless telegrahpy by nonopolies or
trusts the board deems it essential
that any legislation on this subject
should place the supervision of it in
the Department of Commerce and La
Dor.
The total number Of aliens arriving
in the fiscal year was S12,S7o, of which
168,903 were 1lliterate Most of them
came from Italy: and AUSTRIA Hungary.
The Chinese exclusion law, it is de-
clared, has been put into effect with
greatly Increased efficiency this year,
especially along the Canadian frontier.
The establishment Of a moral and
manual standard for aliens, and for a
'fnore rigid inspection Of arrivals are
asked.
CURED HIMSELF OF
DEADLY SNAKE BITE