commerce of the United States, as well as its mining, manufacturing, shipping, fishery, transportation and labor interests, Mr. Garfield was appointed by President Roosevelt as commissioner of corporations, to take charge of the newly-created bureau of corporations.
This bureau is authorized, under the direction of the secretary of Commerce and Labor, to investigate the organization and management of any corporation engaged in interstate or foreign commerce, except railroads or other common carriers which are subject to the Interstate Commerce act; to collect such information and data as will enable the president to make recommendations to congress for legislation for the regulation of interstate and foreign commerce; to report this information to the president from time to time as he may direct; and also to publish any part of this information which the president believes should be given to the public. It is furthermore the duty of this bureau to gather, compile and publish useful information concerning corporations engaged in interstate or foreign commerce, including corporations doing an insurance business.
The extensive powers given this bureau to deal with the greatest problem which confronts the American people of the present time, made the personality of its chief a matter of national concern. To carry out a half-hearted or merely formal investigation of the large corporations would defeat the object for which the bureau was created; to deal recklessly with the greatest aggregations of American capital would bring about a panic and national disaster. President Roosevelt wanted, for this position, a man of sound legal training, of broad judgment, of courageous convictions and of progressive conservatism. It is generally conceded that Commissioner Garfield meets all these requirements; and that the work which is going on under his direction has already won for him the interest and the confidence of the greater portion of the American public.
