The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-10-26
R. PECK'S BOOMERANG.
The REPUBLICANS MADE A MISTAKE
IN TOUCHING u.
me Cemmissiensr's Refusal - nraks Pub
lie HE Desumsntary Prom Has Salts
hsd n. Pablis thaA he Il Eith.r Brib.d
Ksavs Or Fraud.

In order to prevent comparison Of the
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-
Icy tariff law went into effect, Labor
Commissioner Peck, OF that state, Is now
charged with having burned ell the let
ters received by him from the manufac.
turers during his investigation Of the
subject treated in tbs report. rhs de-
struction Of these letters 10 said to be .
crime under the laws of New York and
Mr. Peck must meet the charge brought
against him on this account In criminal
SQUIRT.
The refusal o. tho commissioner 70
make public these letters and the names
81 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 lot
ters makes this impression oonviction.
Why any manufacturer who had in.
creased the wages Of his employees be-
cause Of the Mckinley bill should hesi-
tate shout giving the fact the widest pub
licity was . mystery which could mot we'll
BE- satisfactorily explained. Men engaged
In manufacturing enterprises are not dis
tinguishsd By excessive modesty, and II
any Of these men had actually increased
she 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.
I When the report OF the commissioner
was first made public the Democrats paid
little attention to 1t. The Chicago Her
aid said OF 1t that 1t would probably turn
ont boomerang for the Republicans II
they should use il AZ a campaign docu-
ment. They made precisely that use OF
IL and President Harrison sought to give
u dignity to which It was not entitled
by quoting from II in bis letter accepting
nomination for reelection. Even adj
uniting the conclusions in the report to
be correct, they proved nothing except
that less than 100, 900 ont OF moro than .
million wage-earners In New York had
received little OF their plumber prom
ised BY the Mckinley tariff iniamy.
But when President Harrison under
took, 10 be did, TO dignity the report, the
Democratic COMMITTEES determined to in.
vestigate IL and to establish the verify or
falsity Of Mr.. Peck's ofiicial nyures. The
committee esked 10 see the original let-
ters 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 . mani
damus to compel . production Of the LETT
ters for their inspection. Pending hear
ing In the mandamus proceedings the
comm ssioner caused the letters TO be
burned. They are therefore now beyond
the reach OF the courts % well a. the
committee.
There can be NO doubt that Commis-
sioner Peck was prompted BY dishonest
motive to make the report. Nor 10 there
any doubt among air-minded people
that ths report itself 10 dishonest:
Whether he was actuated BY Republican
bribery or personal malice to issue pub
location designed to injure the Demo-
cratic party makes little difference 80 far
~ theaeffect the report will have upon the
election ID concerned. The history of the
whole matter will now probably come
ont and the Developments will undoubt-
eddy, show that the Herald was right
when 1t suggested that the report would,
~ Q weapon OF warfare in the hands OF
the Republicans, prove to be boomer
ang.