Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1907-12-10
SECRETARY STRAUS WOULD
Change IMMIGRATION LAWS.
WOULD LIMIT CHINESE RATHER THAN BAR THEM-HE RECON-
MENDs BETTER DISTRIBUTION OF IMMIGRANTS AROUND IN
TERROR CORRESPONDENTS GENERAL WORK OF HIS BUREAU
WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR ITS RETIREMENT

commerce and labor, delivered yes
terday to the president for transmits
sion to congress, Secretary Oscar S.
Straus announced several important
recommendations and suggestions. In
regard to the work of the bureau OF
corporations in the investigation of
trusts and combines, Secretary
Straus declares his belief that "ulti-
mately the national development of
industries will force the adoption of
a national system of regulation or
supervision of some such general ma
ture as that already applied to ma
tional banks, in order that the sig
nificant facts of corporate manage
ment may be correctly laid before
congress and the public as the only
proper basis for just and intelligent
action thereon"
Among other matters dealt with in
the report are methods of bringing
about closer relations between the
department and the commercial in
terests of the country; immigration
and naturalization, contract labor,
the oriental question, woman and
child labor, modification of labor
troubles and fisheries.
Bureau of Corporations
In speaking of the work of the bu-
reau OF corporations, Secretary
Straus says:
The bureau Of corporations has
continued the work prescribed in its
organic act in the investigation of
corporations engaged in the great in
terstate industries. Since the or
ganizatiou of the bureau in 1903 a
number of important reports have
been issued The first annual report
in 1904 set forth the policy of the
bureau, with comment on certain
questions raised by industrial COM
binatlon. The report on the beef in
dustry was issued in 1905 and the
report on the transportation OF pc
troleum in 1906, the latter report
setting forth large number of dis
ordinations in railroad rates. upon
which have been based numerous In
dictments and convictions for viola
ton Of the interstate commerce act
and its amendments. Is .5s....-s
Hs Sin May, 1907, the present COM
missioner submitted to the president
part ] of report on the petroleum
industry. The bureau is occupied,
as current work, with making inves-
LEGATIONS into, the steel, lumber and
tobacco industries as well as with
further work on the petroleum In
tdustry, and with inquiries connect
ed with canals. coastwise and river
navigation. cotton exchanges, the In
ternational Harvester company, and
in making special Investigations re-
lating to patents held by government
employees upon articles in use by the
government. 1t is believed that these
Investigations will set before the
public a number of important eco
nomic and financial facts and ten
denotes that will be of the highest
value in dealing with great indus
trial problems.
Efficiency of Publicity.
ct is believed that the experience
of the bureau has signally justified
: that phase of the policy of the adj
ministration which has been aimed
: at securing an efficient publicity in
interstate corporate matters by fed
eral means.
Corporate activity has become ma
tional in its commercial scope. but
it's legal status is still limited almost
wholly by state statutes. a discrep-
ancy that has been the cause of
, many existing evils. The legal con-
ditions should at least be brought
into some reasonable relation to the
business facts. Corporate commerce,
, as carried on by those great COM
panies whose operations substantial
i y constitute the whole problems be-
3 fore us, is national. The control over
8 them, to some extent at least, should
: also be national, by the general gov.
eminent. The power and jurisdic-
S tion of the regulative authority
s should be commensurate with the
$ field of operations of the corpora.
J, lions to be regulated. Centraliza.
d ton as business factor has been
0 accomplished. It only remains to BIZ
determined whether legal condition.
e shall be adjusted to the facts which
y they are supposed to.cover.
n Industrial combination. as such
e appears to be an inevitable economic
+, necessity. This fact must be recog