New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-22
TIE NEAT TRUST INQUIRY.

Prior to the beginning in March 1904. of the in
missioner ala nof nn5ertgke TO secure informaton
regarding corporations and industrial combinations
considered necessary to lay foundation on which
such Giftct INVESTIGATIONS C01q pe teiIlee 10y
bureau has aimed to compile from already
Leading contributions and to anayze carefully the
material SO gathered. IN this way II mas 9eea
the economic and financial practices and effects OF
the combinations investigated and 10 determine
the lines of further original inquiry both with
spect TO the combinations STUDIED IN TINS special
manner, and, more broadly, with respect TO com
have already been prepared or are in course OF
preparation, concerning severa! corporations and
on March IS, 1901, resolution was passed by the
house OF ftspreSent& ives dIecting me S
beef continuation. The Secretary of Commerce and
duct the inquiry called for in the resolution An
Special agents With clerical assistants have been
cured Comprehensive statistics Chiefly relating to
the prices OF cattle and Of beef from the records
and also from independent packers commission
irtervewcd a large number Of Independent packers
comm ssiou men, cattle raisers meat dealers and
opinions relating to the existence Of combnation
nents ana the general condltlons or the cattle ana
~ s ntsi,eS coveriTfy The GiIestion Of insurance
Various States is being made. based upon a uni
form outline For this purpose the following out
line was prepared. Under it the laws relating TO
insurance in each State are being compiled, and
given topic in insurance can be readily compared
for every state by reason Of the arrangement of
With a view OF making an investigation Of the
effects OF the valued policy law agents Of the bu-
The individuals interviewed included not only the
o.lcaIs OF insurance conRanleS ppL also StJtIe m
writers and Of associations OF business men bank
to aceran if possible the practica eecs of the
valued policy law as IN force IN the several StaiSS,
This, however, was not the only OBJECT intended 10
This Investigation served to bring this bureau
lht9 closer tolGll WIN me III
interviews served the purpose OF acquaintng these
bureau was organiZed and its jurisdiction in gath
eri1g information relating to insurance A great
deal of information secured, having both a
bureau with the methods of operation Of certain
great companies, their systems of keeping books.
them and those things that they lack
COMPLAINTS.
As a natural result Of the establishment Of the
I'm on cor,orst. ma re-. ~ aslne ite5I or nan
cial advice (cl asking assistance against restraint
% asking r. mediaI action by tn bureau in mat
tors relating to internal mahagenent Of specific cor
% @ 10 29R? s e i i 81 GgP'[ o
the business Of such corporations.
acted upon the theory that it could offer no RENE
dial action in spe1cte aasss. G.uld not enforce
steps toward the enforcement of Tenal law g,
the antitrust awD further than to "efer the COM
pIaiuant appropriate cases to the Department If
Justice ana could give no legal or fnfncial advice.
Believing, however. that such comp'ints have q
distinct value the bureau roth in furnishing
sDeciec information to given corporations. and
also in showing generally the weak points Of the
present commercial system. it has been TIE policy
tho bureau to indicate to III" compliments the
d,sire OF the bureau for information.
GENERAL POLICY.
The study Of the law and industrial conditions.
abNye outlined. resulted in the adoption of the
fol,owh, general policy re,radlng the hre&u and
the Couts!cr 4 work:
As the rommissoner is not charged with the
fcrcement II any law nor with the prosecution OF
, persons t,ruOrations alleged to be or found to
/ be violating NV law the work IF the bureau is
primarily irquirv into the industrial and legal
methods used hy the agencies engaged in interstate
and foreign commerce. and the purpose % such
INQUIRY TO afford accurate knowledge of industrial
C03ditlons unon which there may be based -nteli
GENT legislative action