Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-09-08
Commissioner Peck,s Report.

Commissioner Peck's Report.
The most important document that
has been issued in many months and
certainly in this campaign is the report
OF Charles +. Peck, labor commissioner
for State Of New York. Mr.. Peck is q
Democrat appointed by Governor Hill.
1t Is he Of whom Bourke Cochran said
in his famous speech to the Chicago
convention, Gle has removed every
Republican from Office, and has filled
the places at his disposal with men
who are Democrats after his own
heart" He can certainly be accused
of no leanings toward protection and
the statements Of his report on the
condition Of the laboring classes is thus
decidedly important.
lie has made an exhaustive study
Of the results Of the Mckinley law and
his summing up is in the nature of
confession by Democracy Of the fsllacy
OF its arguments against protection to
American labor and American produc.
ton.
Mr.. Peck sent out thousands of in.
quiries and Of 5000 answers received
from as many manufacturers aud
wholesale dealers engaged in sixty
seven businesses requiring most capital
and employing most labor in the State
OF New York, in reply to his questions
CONCERNING the prices of goods and OF
labor during the first year OF the oper-
alton of the Mckinley bill and the last
year of the operation Of the old tariff,
he finds certain facts to be true. His
report says;
The returns from 5000 manufacture
eIs In New York State show that the
Mckinley bill has Increased the wages
of the workingman,
During the nrst year of the McKin-
ley bill there was net increase of
money paid for wages in the State of
New York to the extent of $6,377 1926
| as compared with the last year of the
old tariff.
In the same year there was net
Increase Of money representing the
: value of articles produced by the sixty
. seven industries to the extent of $3l,-
! 3l5,130.
This gives to labor about one fifth
/ part OF the value of the goods produced
/ by IL leaving cost OF raw material
4 buildings, machinery, transportation,
insurance, bad debts and profits to
, come out Of the Iesidue.
During the FIRST year OF the McKin-
I1aaN A. a Is A. H..
that replied to the Inquiries Of the
Democratic labor commissioner of New
York showed either an increase in
the wages paid by them, or an increase
Of things produced by them, or both.
The number Of individual increases
Of wages in these industries reported
tor the year ending August 81, 1891,
was S0,7l7.
The average increase in the wages Of
the entire $50 600 employees represented
Was S23.li while in lifty-One of the
trades represented the average increase
in wages per individual was 1886.
Could anything be more conclusive
aud to the point? The Democratic
papers were chagrined at the honesty
Of Mr.. Peck and were quick to de.
ounce him as a traitor. lie comes
back with this statement:
rather expected my report would
cause some comment, but II is Hli
nonsense to call ii a political document,
| started this inquiry in December,
1890, so you see there was no thought
Ut the present campaign in laying ont
the work. The tariff question was
| Ful "a haaattga 4 hf.. IN h.. ,ay,..
If the greatest moment to the working
men, In whose interest my bureau was
established. Now, am Democrat
IA llill Democrat, If you willard |
, began this inquiry with the belief that
the result would vindicate the Demo.
cratic tariff position. The FIRST 10 uns
came from the silk industry and we're
! Pheasant to my way of thinking. Put
, am free to admit that the report on
The whole is not in harmony with the
Democratic platform, so far as the
tariff In concerned. However, my duty
~ "a State official is to report things as
Gud them, not as reckless partisan
should like to have them construed,
There is no political bias about any of
my reports, nor do believe there Ia in
any of the reports Of any labor bureau
in the country. All can say is that
the statements Of my report are based
on actual confidential letters, received
from 5000 representatives of wholesale
manufacturers of New York State.
The result shows me that the leading
Democratic speakers on the tariff are
in error as to the effects of the McKin-
ley bin, The figures in my report
speak for themselves and there is no
getting away from them.
There is food for thought in this
report. II shows how unprejudiced
figures estimate the value Of protac-
ton. 1t emphasizes the claims of
Republicans and the Republican plat
form. Democratic leaders cannot
controvert its words nor are they
seriously attempting to do 30.
| s-~~---
j. II. Burton and his wife are carry
ing on great campaign in the Fifth
district and IL they don't down calam-
ity II will be because calamity had been
downed already. Topeka Capital.