New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-25
WASTING TIE PUBLIC MONEY.

An announcement from Albany, concerning
the intentions of the Commissioner OF Laoor
Statistics. taken in connection with REFORM
measure recently killed by Governor HILL mas "
reculiar interest to the public. The announce
ment il that Commissioner Peck with an assisI-
ant will spend several months in the metropo-
lie for the nurpose of investigating various
q str;,os their cause. duration and settlement
q ond also 70 consider and,take testimony relative
q to the hours of girls employed in stores ana
factories, their condition, etc" lhero Is no
nrobability that any public benefit VIII re-
suit from such an inquiry at present OH tno
mart of Mr.. Peck. He has shown no speclal nV-
ness for dealing with such questions. TIC was
amounted for political reasons, as was chargeu
by the Trades Assembly, which represents the
labor organizations of the State, and not ne
cause of any knowledge of labor questions OF
experience in such matters. There is nothihs
new to be learned at this time on the SUBJECT Oh
strikes in the metropolis. The expenses OF such
On inouirv. lasting several months" or until
the next election, will have to be met by the
neonle of the State and largely by the working
men. Commissioner Peck will have an oppor-
tunitv to exercise his political skill in working
nm n boom for Governor Hill, which probably
has more to do with the proposed inquiry than
ANYTHING else. SO far his work at Albany has
been of no service to the workingmen.
Assembly bill No. III, one of the reform
measures introduced by General Curtis,
which Governor Hill killed, has direct
hearing on this subject. That bill required
the State Controller to include IN his
yearly report an itemized account OF the ex-
pendtures of the State, with the amount OF
each warrant and the name of the person I'D
whose favor it was drawn. A similar law Is
now in force in this city, the expenditures oil
which are several times greater than those OF
the State. Had the Governor approved tins
bill any person could tell next January just how
much Mr.. Peck's enquiry cost the State, and
for what purpose he expended the money. The
same would be true of all similar expenditures
incurred by State officials several Of whom now
have agents roaming about in the alleged in
terest of the public. Now no one ever knows
how the public money is expended, except In
general way, unless the trouble is taken to ex-
anime the vouchers in the State Controllers
Office.
Publicity is always in the interest OF econ
Omy. If the Legislature had before IL an
itemized account of the public expenditures 1t
could no doubt save n large sum yearly. 1t now
proceeds in blind way, with such meagre IN
formation as the public officials furnish The
expenses of its own committees are seldom
made public, and many things are thus hidden
away which the people ought to know Inc
sum necessary for such publication OF the
States expenditures would be small, much
less than it costs this city to publish the items
of its large expenditures. If Commissioners
Peck's proposed investigation were likely to
benefit the workingmen no person would oblec,
TO the outlay, but it is clearly not that kind of
work in which Mr.. Peck is employed. 1t will
not soon be forgotten how he discharged his
assistant last year because he refused to obey
Mr. Healey's political commands.