Mexico weekly ledger., 1904-10-13
~PULITzER'S CHARGES.
WHY ROOSEVELT MADE A BUREAU
: OF CORPORATIONS.
George B cOrielyou Tapping Corpora.
tons For Campaign Funds q
Grave Question.

" a aRlA1Atr III NJ AttACA1nN7 W. A'N
public" You seemed determined TO
vindicate the peoples, right to 'inspect
and examine the workings Of the great
corporations engaged III Interstate COM
merce," even If it 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 uncofi-
stitutional. You demanded this Pub
llclty "as a right from all corporations
affected by the law" and enot as q ia
yor from some corporations"
Your persistence In a good cause
finally trlumphed. 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 a Blu
reau Of Corporations. II extended the
scope of the Interstate Commerce law
TO forbid the giving or receiving Of re-
bates. II passed an act providing for
the special advancement in the United
States courts of cases arising under
the antitrust laws. 1t gave you the
extraordinary, the unprecedented ap-
preparation Of $5G0,000 TO enforce stat
utes prohibiting combinations and con-
spiracles in restraint Of trade.
. e .
The first thing to do. as 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 26, 1908
more than nineteen months. more
than eighty weeks-exactly $50 days
ago-yes. exactly Five Hundred and
Eighty-three Days ago.
VIII you kindly tell the country:
/. After these 5S3 days of supposed
activity and official duty. how much
more does the public know about the
| conduct and management of these
great corporations than 1t knew be-
fore?
Q. After these $50 days of supposed
activity and official duty, what single
witness has been s~ubpoenaed?
8. After these $50 days of supposed
activity and official duty. what single
witness has been compelled to testify?
4. After these 5s3 days of supposed
activity and official duty, what docu-
mentary evidence has been produced?
5. 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
spiraey In restraint of trade?
6. After these 5S3 days of supposed
activity and official duty. what does
| the public know about the work OF this
bureau Of publicity?
Is there a corporation in the United
States. Mr.. President, whose affairs are
administered in greater secrecy than
ere the affairs Of your Bureau Of Cor
porations, which was created to afford
Publicity in the interest Of the pub
Hep
Does the public know any less about
the internal workings OF the Standard
oil Company. for example. than 1t does
about the internal workings Of this
Bureau Of Corporations?
Yet In your letter Of acceptance you
have-may I call II the magnificent au-
dacity?- Ito declare Of tne act creating
this bureau and Of the related acts:
The Congress that created the Blu
reau Of Corporations. which. you say.
has been administered with entire
efficiency" gave you the unique. the
extraordinary appropriation OF $780,
900 to enforce existing laws against
corporations.
What Is your record In the exnendi-
ture Of this money? About $4,000 Of
~ has hoan gnnnf FOR tha AuHnAVa 10
which 1t was appropriated. The rest
has been lying idle In the Treasury for
5s3 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-
lions? It was TO collect such data that
| the bureau was created.
Do you mean to say that this infor-
nation. or so much thereof as You have
required, has been made public" as
the law says It "shall beg It was to
insure such publicity that you asked
for this legislation.
On the contrary. Mr.. President, Is 1t
not true that not n word. not one syl-
liable. not n 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 a
member of the National Committeef
| No. Was he a member of any commit
tee, State or local? No. Had he any
reputation or experience as a 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 "dillgent in
vestlgation" the business secrets of
| these great corporations upon which
you depend for your campaign fund?
You will pardon a delicate question,
Mr.. President. but when the most in
telllgent Mr.. Cortelyou goes out to col
lect money for your campaign fund. af-
ter spending the night in your hospit-
able home. Is it conceivable that these
corporations do not assume that he rep
resents in a peculiarly personal man
ner the President Of the United Statesl
Convincing.
Herman Ridder New York)-r con-
| slider Judge Parker's letter strong aud
convincing.