New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-03
CHARLES F. PECK AROUSED
HE ANSWERS HIS CRITICS VIGOROUSLY.
CARROLL D. WRIGHT CoMMENDs THE coMMI9'
SIONER,S RECENT STRIKE STATISTICS.

CARROLL D. WRIGHT COMMENDS THE CONNIE
SIONERS RECENT STRIKE STATISTICS.
Charles F. Peck the state Labor Commissioners
whose recent report has caused so much trouble as
the calamity headquarters In Ffthave.. was In tms
city yesterday morning. Mr. Peck would not tell tio
reason OF his visit to the city at this time, but IL was
rum0red that he had been sent for by the managers
Of Mr. Ceveland's campaign to see II he would not 40
something to destroy the effect that his report IS likely
to have 1t also has been said that effort would
be made to have him out with supplementary
report denying In part his preliminary one which shows
well the advantages of Protection In this State.
II Mr.. Peck continues to be In the same frame Of
mind rs he yesterday, he will not be OF much
service to Mr.. Cleveland and the Democratic man
ayers. He is statistician and Is extremely proud
Of the reputation that he has gained such and hs
Intends to defend his report TO the end. There IL
talk OF having him dismissed from. his present
place by Governor Flower, but that would be too
palpable political trick to do the Frec Traders much
good in this election.
Commissioner Peck by reporter at the
Victoria Hotel, where he staying yesterday morn
Ing. When he asked II he cared to say anything
In regard t0 his report, the Commissioner answered
that he was Democrat, and. believing that "a public
Office a public trust" he thought that the truth
should be told at all times and at all hazards Mr..
Peck not In the best possible humOr and his anger
toward those who have been trying to cry down his
report by personally abusing its author. shown
by the bitterness Of his tone when he said:
"If the report that have Just made had been made
to suit the occasion and the facts had been distorted,
I'm place Of being abused and declared incompetent and
untrustworthy statistician, / would have been
auded to the skies. The final report in regard to the
operation Of the law will be out in three weeks
month, and IL will more than prove everything that
appeared In the summary that given out last
Sunday. That report will go more into detail than
the summary could, and II will show that have
neither overdrawn enlarged upon the facts which
appeared In the summary. / am willing to submit
my report to the closest scrutiny, and court tho
fullest examination of the figures they appear therc
l am willing that a committee from the Republican
National Committee or the Democratic National Com
mittee, consisting Of from one TO a dozen members,
should to Albany and examine the reports and the
figures upon which they based. The blanks
which received will be shown to them, and nothing
In my Office which could shed any hight on the sub
ject will be concealed from them. Politics had nothing
to do with the report that made and 1t was not
biassed in any particular"
Mr.. Peck Is not taking at all kindly the criticisms
which have appeared In certain Democratic and Mug
wump papers as to his ability a satiscian. and he
referred to the fact that In May last he elected
president Of the Association Of Labor Commissioners
at the annual meeting OF the association In Denver.
AS such lie succeeded Carroll ID. Wright, the we'll
known statstlcian Besides this. Commissioner Peck
Aas hanging In his Office medal which he secured
at the Paris Exposition which he received for tn beso
method Of tabulating statistics
"This is the first time that my figures have been
questioned" he added.
The Democrats say that you could have waited
and given your report ont later" suggested.
"Yes; suppose that they would have liked to have
wait and jugsle with the figures. but that would
not do for any Let me say right here that Sem
ator Hill, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS sheelmn ana Mr'
Murphy had no knowledge Of the figures that | was
to give ont, or Of the report No one knew anything
about 1t except myseh The charge that any one OF
the named knew anything about the report until
the summary given out is absolutely false. No
knew anything about 1t until the summary OF
the report given TO the public. OF course, the
clerks who regularly connected with the Office
helped with the figures. The New-York World
has tried TO answer my figures, but l
do not see that any one who has arrived ae
the age Of discretion can dispute the
figures. This investigation carried l have
conducted the other Investigation, that have made
for the last nine years. The blanks that sent out
did have the word tariff" upon them In any Shape
manner. They sent out from my Office,
for l arranged with firm to have them sent out for
This firm had supero: facilities for sending
out the blanks, and had them TO do il. They sent
in their bill ard they have been paid for the work
see that Protection Is good thing for the manu-
iaetares and fnow also that The m"n%iaetafer; 'n
were not for the unions. BY means Of Protection.
labor Is aDlr to enforce the demands tnat II
makes upon the manufacturers supposiig, for
instance, that | had shop and paid my
for higher pay. II the market was not In condition
to allow me 10 pay what they asked and they would
not work any cheaper, ! would have 10 close my
shop. Monufa would not Increase the wages
Of their men or reduce the hours Of labor unless
they coud afford to do Now, my report shows
that strikes are on the decrease. In the year be-
ginning september 1, 1901, there have been In this
State roo less strikes than there In the year
before Any who attempts to make political
capital out Of the troubles at Homestead Is the
upon my strike statistics, have letter from CGrrcu
d. Wright conmendng my strike statistics and Mr..
Wright Is a man without any bias
In conclusion Mr.. Peck said that he was a Demo.
crat and that he expected to vote for Grover Cleve
land.