The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-13
New York Labor Commissioners Report


indianapolis Journal.
It Is very evident tina: the report of the Demo.
cratic labor commissioner OF New York regard
ing the effect of the Mckinley law has created
sensation throughout political circles in that
state. The New York Herald says that
sit will make the Republicans whoop for
Joy, while the Cleveland Democrats, who are
crashing their teeth with rage, denounce it."
The latter even charge Senator David B. Hill
with being In collision with Commissioner
Peck. but both deny anything of the sort. To q
representative Of the Herald Commissioner Peck
spoke a. follows:
rather expected my report would cause
some comment, but 1t 10 all nonsense to call 1t q
political document I started this inquiry in
Of the present campaign in laying out the work.
The tariff question was taken up be-
cause It has come to be one of the
WSoss interest my bureau wss
Now, am a Democrats hill Democrat, IL you
willard began this inquiry with the belief
that the result would vindcate the Democratic
tariff position. The first returns came from the
silk industry and were pleasant to my way OF
thinking. But / am free TO admit that
the report on the whole is not in harmony with
the Democratic platform. so far az the tariff II
concerned. However, my duty as a state official
is to report things rs find them. not as reck-
less partisan would like to have them construed.
There is no political bias about any OF my re-
ports, nor do believe there IL In any Of the
reports of any labor bureau in the country. All
l can sey 10 that the statements OF my re-
port are based on actual confidential letters, re-
ceived 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
Mckinley bill. The figures in my report speak
for themselves, and there II no getting away
from them.
Speaking to q Tribune reporter tho commits
sioner said that the early publication of these
facts was due to the public in order to correct
current errors and Interpretations A year
ago, he said. ex-Gov. Campbell was de-
clarfng that "not q man received more
wages because of the Mckinley law"
1t important to ascertain II this il the truth.
my reports show, said Commissioner Peck,
''that just 2S5.0O0 mems salaries were raised as
the results of this law" As matter of course,
the Democratic managers In New York will at.
tempt to break the force of the blow
which is pledged to destroy the
Mckinley law, since not to do 50 would be to
give up the Empire state. These will be srgu-
ments which need not be noticed. but q fact
which shows that the mass of voters in q state
have been benefited materially by law must
cause Thousands of them to sustain 1t when it
II assailed.
q Democrat, and was appointed to the Office in
1883, when Mr.. Cleveland was governor. He
had made several reports upon the subject OF in.
terest to labor, which have been received al au-
thority. Moreover. in making this report he has
employed the same methods In collecting data
that have been used and approved in Massachu-
sets and other states, and by Labor Commits.
sioner Wright, Of the national bureau. The re-
ports he has received from manufacturers have
been tabulated BY his clerks, 80 that he had
nothing to do but to make the footings which
30 astonish and disgust the Cleveland Democ-
Tacy, ana which will have . wider influence
upon the campaign than any ono document OF
report thst has been given to the public.