The Washington times., 1909-08-14
Real Work of Formulating
Plan Starts With Bevs
erly Conference,
REPORT ON SCHEME :.
READY NOVEMBER 1
All Opposition by Leaders of Con
gress Will Be Brushed
Aside.
By JAMES HAY, II.


home at Marion. after having reached
an agreement with the President re-
garding the program TO be followed by
those mtrusted with the work Of revis-
ing the laws governing the control of
interstate ooTI orations by the Federal
Government
The men who have this work laid out
for them are Mr.. Nagel. Attorney Gen
eral WickeTsham Solicitor General
Bowers. of the Department OF Justice;
Representative Townsend of Michigan,
Interstate Commerce Commissioners
Knapp and Prouty, and Secretary OF
the Interior Ballinger.
According TO the present plan, The
new scheme. as finally devised by these
men. will be to build up a structure Of
Government supervision Of the opera
tons Of the corporations founded on
the amendment TO the tariff law provid-
ing for tbs corporation tax.
The problems these law Ievis6rs hsvs
TO solve are to make the inspection OF
the corporations books thorough and
unfailing, and TO reform the methods
OF the Department OF Commerce and
Labor so that it can act promptly on
all offenses.
1t is now probable that the law com
mission will meet in New York the
latter part OF this month. but the
members of II do not expect to lay
their report before the President until
the first week in November. Attorney
General Wickersham is now in New
York. and probably will be there
throughout the summer and autumn
working on the problems involved. Mr..
Nagel viii have frequent conferences
With him throughout the summer. and
at about the middle Of September viii
80 10 New York TO stay for a month,
working with Wickershsm every day.
All VIII Cooperate.
From tine TO time, the other members
OF the commission viii be called into
conference.
AS is well known. the President de-
pends on these men TO givs him the
data which will enable him to lay be-
fore Congress a complete plan for re-
forming the methods OF the Federal
Government in controlling the great
combinations. he wants the laws
amended by the next session OF Con-
gress so that. when prosecutions are
begun. they viii hold water. and not
tall through errors OF law
In order TO accomplish this. the men
inrusted with the work are under the
directions of the President 10 hold
consultations with some Of the biggest
business men o. the country as well as
with all the leading authorities on
trust busting" This was one Of the
reasons which led 20 the selection OF
New York az the commissions head
quarters.
The Administration explains that the
n
ables the Government TO get 10 the
books OF the concerns and find out what
they are doing. Bur q - desired 70
have the laws altered 50 that inspec-
TORS can be made Of the books without
the Government being compelled 10 give
the taxation motive as the sole reason.
That Is. the ideal TO be reached is 40
put the Government powers In 'sucn
shape that, In accordance vita the Con
stiUuUiOns II can allow its agents 10
make examinations Of books merely on
the ground that il is desired 10 take
every precaution TO see that the laws
are being Obeyed.
If this is accomplished by the work
Of Mr. Nagel, Air. Wickershar, and the
others associated with them, il is easy
10 realize that the Government will be
absolutely untrammeled IN its work OF
inspection and detection of wrongdoing.
Many Other Features.
But there are many other features
Of the reform which have not been
solved. The laws must be amended SO
that the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion shall be merely a quasi-judicial
body. passing on the merits OF cases,
while the Bureau Of Corporations IN the
Department Of Commerce and Labor
shall be given powers Of investigation
and presenting OF complaints far ex-
eeeeeding anything it has yet enjoyed
This means that. in the matter Of con-
trOlunE he trusts. the Department OF
Commerce and Labor Viii be exalted
10 q position equalling in Importance
that OF the Department OF Justice
A new bureau in the Department Of
Justice, OF which Wade Ellis. Of Ohio
viii be chief, viii be entrusted with the
work of cooperating in legal matters
Win the Bureau Of Corporations and in
making prosecutions before the courts
throughout the country.
The Administration feels assured thai
ii can put It's recommendation through
Congress Those familiar with the ex.
act effects or the scheme say that Il
means titdt The President will have the
unanimous support OF the progressive.
or hiS-party and that if Aldrich and Can
non stand IN the way OF the reform,
their doom viii be made certain ia tht
next session. The work IS contemplated
by the President as the redemption OF
MS campaign promise that he would
cilnch the Roosevelt policies" toward
tlie trust ana perfect the laws so thai
the control OF corporations would be as
sured FOR a long time
The Greatest Work.
II is. IN way. the great work OF
this Administration. as the President
views IT, It calls for an immense Iegis-
lauve program, one which will involve
many changes In the law and 1t makes
IL certainty that the next session viii
be busy for at least six months.
One OF the men closest 10 Mr.. Taft
said. in discussing #:
The Aldrich-Cannon group professed
indignation at the Presidents stand for
reductions in the tariff. II these men
were Indignant because or that. IL is
hard 20 tell what their feelings win be
when they are confronted with the
revelations contained in the Taft pro-
gram for next winter. They VIII be in
a state OF mind which may lead them
20 jump out OF the second-story win
dows, climb down the cutters and make
dash for the Obscurity Of the woods
The President is in earnest about
this He means 10 have a perfect plan
I'm 50 far as that is possible. for con-
trolling the corporations. The basic
principle OF his scheme is complete pub
licity. and this IS the principle on which