The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-05-23

New York. May 23.-At the annual
f~anorat uf the National Association
of Manufacturers. held last night in
this city at the Waldorf-Astoria. Hon
Oscar s. Straus. Secretary of the De
partment of Commerce and Labor
delivered an address on Commerce
Combinations and Labor. His speech,
in part, was as follows:
Secretary Straus' Speech.
Gentlemen Of the National Associa-
tion of Manufacturers:
AS we survey the history OF modern
times we can not fail to distinguish
that what tn Germans call the Zeit
Geist, or TIC aspirations of nations.
has changed from period to period
First, the Reformation; then the long
and bloody years OF struggle for &c
clesfastical dOEnipHGi0n under politi-
cal guise, Or political domination un-
der ecclesiastical guise. Following
this period, ana to a large extent by
reason of 1t arose the munger for COZ
quest led by ambitions sovereigns
wicked schemes of spoliatioa were
clothed in the outward garb of sancti-
fed phrases of benevolent purposes
This period again was followed by the
spirit of conquest pure and simple.
under the domination of might, led
by the boosted and spurred general
During all these years commerce lack
ed both opportunity and encourage
menf; in fact, ii was looked upon as
the trade and occupation of an infer
ior and degraded element of the pop
ulation. Handicrafts. except wlen
they were applied to forging instrl-
ments of war. had lost their dignity
and Holland, which was rapidly grow
Ing in power and wealth through the
extension of her commerce over all
the seas. as confemptuously referred
TO by Louis XIV as "a nation OF shop
keepers" a term that was, in no spirit
of compliment. subsequently applied
to England and afterwards to u.s.
The spirit of commerce, which is as
far removed from 'commercialism'
as patriotism is from the spoils sys-
TEN. is the most wholesome stimulus
that has yet pervaded the nations,
becarse 1t rest upon mutuality and
upon economic laws: It is construc-
tive and not destructive. and it pro-
notes the welfare and happiness of
nations. as we'll as International peact
and good will.
AS the Secretary of Commerce and
Labor the youngest but not the least
important Department of our Govern
ment, l deem II no less a pleasure
than a privilege TO appear before the
SIGAA CdVldlllS vi OlT INDUSTRIAL
try and age. ] stand here before a
group of men who nave within COM
paratively few years brought the
Industries of our country to the front |
rank of the great ma.s sFfacturing ma |
tions of the world. Less than half a |
century ago our nation ranked fourth |
among the manufacturing nations, |
while today it stands at the head of |
the list. The investments of capital |
In fhnC0 nd ~ har From
a billion dollars in 1860 to about four
teen billions in 1905. The wages and |
salaries paid have risen in that per
iod from little more than one-third /
OF a billion to over three billions, and |
the value of the manufactures pro-
duced from less than two billions to
practically seventeen billions.
group of men who have produced such
splendid results in less tnan half n
century. and who are today success
fully managing a business represent
ing one-eighth of the entire wealth of
the country. giving employment to ov-
er six million people, representing
over one-fourth of the homes of the
nation. needs no guidance from the
Department of Commerce and Labor.
but merely the assurance of its SYM
pathetic cooperation, coupled with
the determination to enforce the laws
which guarantee to all interests ana
to all Individuals their rights and
and to protect them from un
just enc-oachment on the part of any
other interests or individuals.
Our total exports in the fiscal year
about to end will aggregate nearly
two billions OF dollars. and of that
enormous sum more than seven mil
Hons. or about forty per cent of the
total. win be composed of manufac-
lures In developing this great in
dustry. IN which such rapid strides :
have been made in comparatively a
few years. we have enjoyed peculiar
In the plentiful supply OF {
materials furnished by nature, such ,
rs cotton. iron. copper. wood, and /,
coal. and In our remarkable trans ,
portation facilities. But all these :
uoudlnot have enabled us to develop :
such marvellous results were ii not ,
fnr another factor. equally as import
ant. na-ely. the Drawn ari -eps~le
0g our iaboring classes. waich are
equipped WIFI ,ch 'rt-tr-~ut skill
No. reason c. me opportunities AFFORD 4
"a to rich AMI rr~- rlfi-e n this free |
ana nberty-l5rinZ lind. While we I
amd abundance OF raw material. we
have always been short in the SEP I
ply of labor. and but for the fact that I