The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1892-10-06
Irck Makes Afli:lavit.


Ny. Mecgan read an affidavit Of Mr..
Peck, in which he sad:
The law really specified no details for the
performance of mv duties or The method to be
pursued in obtaining. the Information it
designed to secure for the Legislature Of the
State. In order 20 obtain the information re-
Auired to make annual reports it was neces
sary that I should obtain the confidence of
md the lahorins people OF the State. At the
sery outset WAS Obliged to make a rule. pub
Iciy announced by me- that all infOr;l.atio
vas to be received in the strictest confidence
as I'D all correspondents and infornant-, and
ia names OF persons employees or employers.
! except by express permission. should appear
IA any department eIOrr or be otherwise given
either to individuals or the public and shat no
IIarer cont aiming or relating to information
received or used by me in discharge of the
9nties of my office should ever he placed on file
IN my Office or se made d matter of record or
nc considered other than the private property
u the commissioner for the protection of the
,enders of communications. and have never
considered il my duty to preserve the same.
! Every time | sent ont circulars asking for
Information I invariably gave pledges Of
| :rccy to my correspondents. and have done so
annually. The practice pursued 10y lne in lS:"'
md iS9 was no departure from the uniform
| course of prior years. found in the law ere
iting my office provision authorizing me to ex
anime witnesses: but with the condition that
40 witness shall. against his will. lie COM
| PEELED to answer any questions respecting his
| private affairs" This restricts ion rendered ii
lractic ally Impossible TO give effect to the in
! .ent of the Legislature unless the confidence
Of the people of the state could be secured and
;etaiued and their private affairs voluntarily
disclosed. Repeated refusal- came to from
business men, and besides the circulars sent
nut each year have written and sent thou
| sands OF letters giving personal assurances to
he writer's that no Use ouid he made of their
| confidence, and every communication would
! uc held to he sacred ami denied To any one. in
Guiding rivals III the same branch of industry.
by such legitimate and by such honor
able pledges only have been able to dis
,harge the responsible duties of my Office and
; 20 render to the Legislature the data annually
! transmitted to il in my annual report
In twenty-seven states Of the Union that
4, have labor bureaus il has been found neces-
! sary to give to all peIs ,ns the pledge of Sc
| curity and confidence given by during the
! several years of my oificia! life. These pledges
| relate to and cover cases of employers and EN-
rloyes ane labor organizations. The sum
mary which was issued by me in ls.'2 and
| about which the proceedings have arisen. was
issued and published by NE at the time usual
! for the publication of reports of other state
| officers, and about the same time have pub
| Hshed my report every Other year. and every
year in which have made up report to the
Legislature invariably published beforehand
! in or about August of each year a summary a.
| have puhlisht in 1872. have not tieviate 1.
| flee. nor have I in 1922 departed from ny Gus
! tom OF my office with respect to my report
! fh" attempt made to establish the theory
! hat my report was given ont ~ influence the
/ pending election is false. as the compilations
i were all made before any Democrats nominal
ton was made and the data were obtained he
! tore any could tell who the nominees of
any party would i,c.
| The communications and letters upon which
my preceding annual reports were based were
never ttle1 nor made record in my office and
were never the property of the state. hut We're
| private lett RS. and whatever property exists
| in them is divided between this deponent as
| he receiver and the several senders of the let
! ers, and ] am advised by my counsel that
Inder the decision Of Woolsey vs. Judd and
DUrr 80. and other kindred cases. Injunction
would lie against me if attempted in any way
! % make public the matter that | guarantee
/ should he private matter and held as secret ana
! confidential. As the head OF he department in
question am of the opinion and so represent
= % this honorable court that the publication of
/ he names and addresses of the persons and
! corporations who have furnished data upon
which my report is based would he greatly in
| furious fo the pnhiic interests
| This affidavit fully outlines the de-
! tense of Mr.. Peck