The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-10-18
mr.. PECK'S BOOMERANG.
THE REPUBLICANS MADE A MISTAKE
IN TOUCHING IT.
rhs commis.iossr's Refusal . Make Pub
lie his Documentary Proofs mas Salts
ned the Public .hst He IL Eithsr Bribsd
Knave or Fraud.

In order to prevent comparison OF tine
original documents with the conclusions
presented in his recent official report,
showing that the wages OF many work.
men In the state of New York have been
considerably increased since the McKin-
ley tariff law went into effect, Labor
Commissioner Peck, OF that state, Is now
charged with having burned all the let
ters received by him from the manufac-
turers during his Investigation OF the
subject treated in the report. The de-
struction OF these letters Is said to be a
crime under the laws OF New York and
Mr.. Peck must meet the charge brought
against him on this account IN criminal
court.
The refusal Of the commissioner to
make public these letters and the names
OF the manufacturers who wrote them
only confirm the impression in the pub
lie mind that his report was wholly un-
reliable. His action in burning the LETT
tiers makes this impression conviction.
Why any manufacturer who had in
creased the wages of his employees be-
cause Of the Mckinley bill should hesi-
tate about giving the fact the widest pub
licity was mystery which could not we'll
be satisfactorily explained. Men engaged
in manufacturing enterprises are not dis
| tinguished by excessive modesty, and II
| any OF these men had actually increased
the pay OF the laborers in their employ,
thus fulfilling the promises made by
them in order to secure the passage OF
the Mckinley bill, they would naturally
have been expected to advertise such ac-
tion on their part by every means in
their power, giving names, dates and
| circumstances.
When the report OF the commissioner
was first made public the Democrats paid
little attention to IL. The Chicago Her
aid said OF it that it would probably turn
out aIboomerang for the Republicans II
they should use il as a campaign docu-
ment. They made precisely that use OF
IL and President Harrison sought to give
| 1t a dignity to which 1t was not entitled
| by quoting from 1t in his letter accepting
q nomination for reelection. Even ad :
| hitting the conclusions in the report to
be correct, they proved nothing except
that less than 100, 900 out OF more than q
million wage-earners In New York had
received little OF their plumber prom
Used by the Mckinley tariff infamy.
But when President Harrison UNDER
took. as he did, to dignity the report. the
Democratic COMMITTEES determined to in
vestigate 1t AMI to establish the verify or
falsity Of Mr.. Peck's Official figures. The
committee asked to see the original ist-
tiers on which the conclusions in the re-
port are based. This request the com.
missioner refused.
Then the representatives OF the COM
mittee applied to the courts for man
damus to compel production of the let
tiers for their inspection. Pending hear
ing in the mandamus proceedings the
comm issioner caused the letters to be
burned. They are therefore now beyond
the reach OF the courts as we'll AZ the
committee.
There can be no doubt that Commits
sioner Peck was prompted by dishonest
| motive to make the report. Nor is there
any doubt among fair minded people
that the report itself is dishonest.
Whether he was actuated by Rapu blican
bribery or personal malice to issue pub
lication designed to injure the Demo-
cratic party makes little difference SO far
| as the effect the report will have upon the
election is concerned. The history of the
whole matter will now probably come
out and the developments will pndouht-
eddy show that the Herald was right
when it suggested that the report would,
az weapon OF warfare in the hands OF
the Republicans, prove to bs a boomer
anv.