Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
Constant watchfulness is needed to secure to Americans the chance to
participate to the best advantage in foreign trade; and we may
confidently expect that the new Department will justify the expectation
of its creators by the exercise of this watchfulness, as well as by the
businesslike administration of such laws relating to our internal
affairs as are intrusted to its care.
In enacting the laws above enumerated the Congress proceeded on sane
and conservative lines. Nothing revolutionary was attempted; but a
common-sense and successful effort was made in the direction of seeing
that corporations are so handled as to subserve the public good. The
legislation was moderate. It was characterized throughout by the idea
that we were not attacking corporations, but endeavoring to provide for
doing away with any evil in them; that we drew the line against
misconduct, not against wealth; gladly recognizing the great good done
by the capitalist who alone, or in conjunction with his fellows, does
his work along proper and legitimate lines. The purpose of the
legislation, which purpose will undoubtedly be fulfilled, was to favor
such a man when he does well, and to supervise his action only to
prevent him from doing ill. Publicity can do no harm to the honest
corporation. The only corporation that has cause to dread it is the
corporation which shrinks from the light, and about the welfare of such
corporations we need not be oversensitive. The work of the Department
of Commerce and Labor has been conditioned upon this theory, of
securing fair treatment alike for labor and for capital.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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