The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-27

They Make CnreAsonab1o Demands for
the Purpose Of Discrsditing Is-Deno
cratic Truths Are UnpIeasa.t 20 Then
Peck Undismayed.
The manner in which tho report OF
Commissioner Peck, Of the New York
state bureau of labor statistics. has been
received by the managers Of Mr.. Csevs
lands campaign strikingly proves the
familiar charge against the Democracy
that it is essentially calamity party
Mr.. Peck IS Democrat; he has always
been Democrat. He was appointed &c
be commissioner Of the labor bureau OF
New York On the date Of its creation
April 4, 1888, by Grover Cleveland. wno
was then governor of New York. He
has performed the duties Of his office sc
admirably as that each successive Dem.
ocratic governor has successively ~
appointed him. In 1886 he received rs
second commission from David B. EilI;
in 1889 Governor Hill renewed the com
mission, and last May Governor Flower
appointed him for the fourth time. Mr.
Peck'5 distinguished character as a stat
istician and the successful and lmpor
tant work he has done were recognized
last May by his election TO the Office o.
president of the American Association
of Labor Commissioners at the assD
cations convention in Denver. MI
Peck succeeded in that Office the well
known statistician, Carroll D. Wright
1t thus appears that the same high opin
ion of Mr.. Peck's character, ability and
record was entertained by his fellow
commissioners of labor throughout the
Union as has been expressed by Mr.
Cleveland. Mr.. Hill and Mr.. Flower sue
cessively during the last ten years.
What Peck Really Did Toll
Three weeks ago Mr.. Peck issued his
ninth annual report. Necessarily 1t
dealt with the conditions Of labor in tbs
state of New York since the McKini> y
bill went into effect. It is Mr.. PecL's
duty to ascertain from year to year how
American vorkingmen have Jared in
wages and production. He corresponded
with 5000 manufacturers in the state n
New York and received from then
statements of what had been going on
in the various lines Of trade and reported
to the governor the simple facts, az re
was in duty bound to do. These facts
were summed up in his own language
as follows:
SIT appears that there was q net in
crease in wages of 81, 877 .925.09 in the
year 1891 as compared with the amount
paid in 1890, and net increase of pro-
duction of S31 ,315, 130 SO in the year 1881
over that of 1890. OF the sixty seven IN
dustries covered by these statistics n
per cent. of them show an increase either
of the wages or production, or boa.
There were no less than 89,717 instances
OF individual increases Of wages during
the same year."
Mr.. Peck reported elsewhere in his
summary statement these further facts;
"Of the sixty-eight industries included,
IS per cent. of them show an increas-d
average yearly earning in the year 1891,
while the total average increase of year
ly earnings of the 2s5, COO employees was
S23.n. The average increase of yeary
earnings of the employees of the fifty
one trades showing an increase was
S43.98 In 1891 as compared with 1896
The total number Of strikes reported fo'
the year 1891 was 4,519 as against $3.50
occurring in the year 1890, . decrease OF
lao. OF the total number-4.519-
1915, or 90 per cent. Of them, were in the
building trades"