Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-12-07

..-.~.o7a n 7eAceneny body 81 public
servants. Vhey should be amply paid.
But their payment must be obtained
by arguing their claims fairly and hon
orably before the congress and not by
banding together for the defeat of
those congressman who refuse to give
promises which they cannot in con-
science give. The administration has
taken steps to prevent and punish
abuses Of this nature, but it will be
wise for the congress to supplement
this action by legislation.
Bureau of Labor.
Much can be done by the government
in labor matters merely by giving pub
licity to certain conditions. The bureau
Of labor has done excellent work of
this kind in many different directions.
1 shall shortly lay before you in spe-
cial message the full report Of the in
vestigation Of the bureau of labor into
the Colorado mining strike, us this is a
strike in which certain very evil forces,
which are more or less at work every
where under the conditions of modern
industrialism, became startlingly prom
fnent. 1t is greatly to be wished that
the department Of commerce and ln-
Dor, through the labor bureau, should
compile and arrange for the congress
a list Of the labor laws of the various
states and should be given the means
to investigate and report to the con-
gress upon the labor conditions In the
manufacturing and mining regions
throughout the country, both US to
wages, us to hours of labor, MS to
the labor of women and children and
rs to the effect in the various labor
centers Of immigration from abroad.
In this investigation especial attention
should be paid to the conditions of
child labor and child labor legislation
in the several states.
Corporations.
When we come to deal with great
corporations the need for the govern
ment to act directly is far greater than
| in the case Of labor, because great cor
porations can become such only by en-
gaging in interstate commerce, and In
terstate commerce is peculiarly the
field Of the general government. It is
an absurdity to expect to eliminate the
abuses in great corporations by state
action. 1t is difficult to be patient with
an argument that such matters should
be left to the states, because more than
one state pursues the policy of Great
ing on easy terms corporations which
are never operated within that state
| ut all, but in other states whose laws
they ignore. The national government
alone can deal adequately with these
great corporations. To try to deal
with them in an incorporate, destruc-
tive or demagogic spirit would in oil
probability mean that nothing what
ever would be accomplished, and with
absolute certainty that If anything
were accomplished it would be of
harmful nature. The American peo-
pie need to continue to show the very
qualities that they have shown-that is,
moderation, good sense, the earnest
desire to avoid doing any damage and
yet the quiet determination to proceed,
step by step, without halt and without
hurry, in eliminating or ut least in
minimizing whatever of mischief or Of
evil there is to interstate commerce
in the conduct of great corporations.
They are acting in no spirit Of hostility
to wealth, either individual or cor
posate. They are not against the rich
man any more than against the poor
man. On the contrary, they -nre friend
ly alike toward rich man and toward
poor man, provided only that each acts
in spirit Of justice and decency to-
ward his fellows. Great corporations
are necessary, and only men Of great
md singular mental power can man
age such corporations successfully,
and such men must have great re-
wards. But these corporations should
be managed with due regard to the
interest Of the public as whole.
Where this can be done under the pres
ent laws, It must be done. Where
these laws come short others should
be enacted to supplement them.
Bureau of Corporations.
The bureau of corporations has made
careful preliminary investigation Of
many important corporations. It will
make special report on the beef in
dustry.
The policy Of the bureau is to &C.
complish the purposes Of its creation
by cooperation, not antagonism; by
making constructive legislation, not
destructive prosecution, the immediate
object Of Its inquiries; by conservative
Investigation of law and fact and by
refusal to issue incomplete and hence
necessarily inaccurate reports. Its pol
Icy being thus one of open inquiry into
and not attack upon business, the bu-
reau has been able to gain not only the
confidence, but, better still, the COOP
Grafton. Of men engaged In legitimate
business.
The bureau offers to the congress
the means Of getting at the cost of pro
ductfon Of our various great staples Of
commerce.
OF necessity the careful investigation
of special corporations will afford the
commissioner Knowledge Of certain
business facts, the publication of which
might be an improper Infringement Of
private rights The method of making
public the results Of these inyestiga-
tons affords, under the law, q means
for the protection Of private rights.
The congress will have all facts except
such as would give to another cor
poration information which would in
jure the legitimate business of q COM
petitor and destroy the incentive for
individual superiority and thrift.
The bureau has also made exhaustive
examinations into the legal condition
under which corporate business is car
ried on in the various states, into all
Judicial decisions on the subject and
into the various systems Of corporate
taxation in use. call special attention
to the report of the chief Of the bureau,
and l earnestly ask that the congress
carefully consider the report and rec
concentrations of the commissioner on
this subject.
The business Of insurance vitality af-
fects the great mass Of the people of
the United States and is national and
not local in its application. 1t involves
Il multitude Of transactions among the