The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-12-17
DANGER IN COMMISSIONS.

DANGER IN COMMISSIONS.
In this day of overmuch commission
work aud Of apparent desire to trus
every thing TO Federal commissions. o.
burcaucrats, Russian fashion. IL is re-
frcshing 10 note that Secretary Mage
Of the Department of Commerce and
Labor expressly opposes giving mr.
| bitrary powers to the proposed Fed
cral commission TO regulate industrial
corporations. He very Justly urges
that such arbitrary power is liable 10
1 the grosscst abuse, and TO descrmiua
tions and expressions which would bc
not only harmful TO the public inter.
ests but injurious to the individual
welfare OF the people In place Of hav.
ing the commission free to oppress.
obstWct, aud perhaps ruin the coun-
try's business, Secretary Nagcl urges
that it should be the business of Con
gross TO preserve TO the greatest cx-
tent consistent with the public welfare.
the element Of sclf-rcguation lie
Justly saws that "the effort should be
to lay down principles OF conduct
sufficiently specific 20 impose desired
restraints, ut the same time leaving q
wide field for individual achieve.
ment,
Specifically with regard TO the COM
mission, after stating that Its uses
should be strictly defined and limited,
the Secretary says that such law
"may serve the general purpose of
giving large industrial and commercial
concerns much needed Federal con-
troll He urges that il is possible by
lodging in the commission well.de-
fined discretion an intelligent purpose
may be served. But the obvious
danger is that such commission, once
created, might soon be vested with
perilous powers. The disposition un
would be for that commits
sion to ask from time TO timo addi-
tional authority and for Congress to
tending TO the point of fixing prices
and conditions of operation similar to
hat which the Interstate Commerce
Commission now exercises with respect
% railroads and their rates. In the
after case the exercise of the powers
,f the Commission is beneficial But
he powers of the Interstate Commerce
are directed to but one
activity, and these powers are not
,nly well defined and limited in the |
aw, but they are subject TO review by |
he courts. But with regard to a gen
raj commission TO regulate public SER
ice utilities and general business COM
inations, the Secretary notes that
there is strong tendency to disre-
ard the fundamental distinction be-
ween a public service and private
Before enacting any such commits
ion, however, the Secretary is anxious
hat there should be careful inquiry
made; first, as to the necessity for
uch commission and the regulation
roposcd by it, and second, as to what
wills are. proposed to be reached by the
of such commission.
Secretary Nagel is TO be emphati-
ally commended for the caution and
which be displays in
hese recommendations. There can be
o doubt but that he is sound in his
and that the Federal ad-
will do well to be ex-
remedy cautious with regard to the
reation of such commission, and re-
ictant in the yesting of arbitrary
overs in it.
The general matters covered by the
eport Of Secretary Nagel are Of public
lterest, and it is clear that he has not
My an excellent idea of the scope Of
ne activities Of his department, but
lso that he wants every public ac-
witty to be on a definite and certain
asis, and to be so limited that it will
e practically sure to do more good
nan harm.
Secretary Nagel is one OF the ablest
nd most businesslike members OF .
resident Taft's Cabinet 1t is a pity
nat he viii have to go out OF Office
n the 4th Of March next, for he is
n official whose work is intelligent,
a atTiotic and peuuinely Rpunblican