Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-12-09
STRaUS TELLS
Of TRUST PRONE

Washington. Dec. 9.---In tho an.
nual report OF the secretary OF com
merce aud labor. delivered her To-
day TO the president for transmission
TO congress. Secretary Oscar s.
.Straus announced several important
recommen iations and saggcsti6ne
In regard TO the work OF the bn-
reau of corporations in the inestl7s.
ton Of trusts and combines. Seer
tary Straus declares his belief tina
ultimately the national develop
ment OF industries will force the
adoption OF a national system OF reg-
ulation or supervision Of some snch
gen raj nature as that already ar
piled to national banks In order tina,
the significant facts OF corporate
management may be correctly laii
before CONGRESS and the public az
the only proper basis for Just ana
Intelligent action thereon
Amonc other matters dealt with
in the rcrort are methods OF bring
ing about closer relations between
the department. and the commercial
interests NJ the country: immigrs.
ton and naturalization, contract la.
Dor the Oriental qu stion. womer
and child labor. mediation OF labor
troubles and fisheries.
In speaking of the work of the
bureau OF corporations Secretary
Straus says:
The bureau OF corporations har
continued the work prescribed IN Us
organic act in the inv stieatlon OIL
corporations engaged IN the great In
terstate i'm iustries Since the organ
'zation OF the bureau in 1903 a num-
Der OF important reports have been
issued. Th first annual report in
1904 set forth the policy OF the bu-
reau with comment on certain qucs-
lions raised on industrial combine
ton. The report on the beef indus
try was issued IN 1905 and the re-
port on the transportation of petrol
cum In 1906, the latter report sot-
ting forth large number Of discrim-
nations in ranroad rates upon which
have been base1 numerous lndlct.
ments and convic ms for violation
Of tn Interstate com ierce act an
'ts amendments.
"In May 1907, the present com
missioner rubmitted TO the president
Dart / OF a report on the petroleum
industry. dealing with the position
Of the standard oil Company in that
industry. The bureau is occupie4
as current work, with making inves
LEGATIONS into the steel, lumber anA
tobacco industries as well as with
further work on the petroleum In.
dustry. and with inquiries connecte
with canals, coastwise and river nav
lgation. cotton exchanges, the Inter
national Harvester company and In
making special Investigations relat
ing to patents held by government
employees upon articles in use by the
government 1t is believed that
those investigations will set beforo
the public a number Of importan'
economic ana financial tenAen"lo
that will he OF the h'gh At value g.
ealing 18th great in iustrlal prot
iemg
at is believed that the voerlenc
NJ the bureau has signally iuqtid
that phase Of the policy % tho o.
mlnistra'ion which has been aimo
~ securing an efficient publicity ir
interstate commerce matters By fe
eral means.
Corporate actlvy has become no
tional in It's commercial scope, bu'
rs legal status is still limited Amos
wholly TO state statutes. a discrcpsn
cy that has been the cause of marr
visiting evils The legal condition
should AZ least be brought into some
reasonable relation 90 the business
facts. Corporate. commerce az car
ried on by those great companic
whose operations substantially con
stitute the who'll problems before u~
IS national The control over tho
% some extent at least. should al~
be national by the general govern
1eut The power an1 jur.slictiar
" the reeulaiv, authority Shout
be commensurate with The field
operations of tho corporations 90 Dr.
regulated Capitalization as buzz
ness fact has been accomplished -
only romans TO be r iermiuc1 whoh
or legal conditions shall bo adjusted
70 the facts which they are supposed
to cover.
industrial combination, as such
appears 20 be- ON inevitable economic
mere sity This fact mus Doe rcoe-
nizod in order 10 treat the matter
successfully Tho prohibition o.
"ommerc'al power simnly because o.
results from combination is futile
and may be harmful 20 is not fh
exist nee of such power bu, te mt
"se to which attention must Doe 1i-
rected Commercial success which ir