Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-09-14
AFRAID OF PEok,s BOOMERANG

The ellgerness with which the report
as campaign document by the Repub-
lican papers has one exception In the
Philadelphia Telegraph. This Repub-
lican journal scores Peck's performance
Ia the following words,
II Commissioner Pech's report came
from different source IL would be On
titled to general public respect. Unfos-
tunately, however, II is matter of his
tory that this particular bureau Of labor,
30 called, has more than once attracted
attention by Its sensational perform
ances, putting forth documents that
would not bear the light Of honest ex-
animation. In this case Mr.. Peck hss
given 10 the American people q paper
the reception OF which fully illustrates
its character Az the matter
stsnds. this report has already become o
powerful boomerang. At the first fire
Of criticism il goes 10 pieces Ike q house
OF cards. An hours study Of this paper
by any citizen Of ordinary mental ca
pacity will result in ite being thrown
aside ne absolutely worthless.
The report pretends 10 give the result
Of inquiries addressed TO some 1900 EN-
ployers in the state Of New York. and
shows In effect an apparent net increase
Of production In sixty-seven grouped in
dustriee of S3l 900, 900 for the year 1891,
the year following the passage of the
Mckinley law. over that Of 1880. with
net increase IN tho amount Of wages
paid OF 81, 5000 tho average being
twenty-three dollars year or about
fifty cents week for each employee
Upon examination IL Is discovered that
the grouping of these industries Is a
most remarkable performance. For In
stance, under the head OF Clothing"
there are found I33 different trades, this
including the making Of all sorts Of
wearing apparel. inside and outside, cot
ton and elk, blankets, bags. shoddy.
worsteds, woolens. ribbons. hats. sleigh
robes, trimmings. bedquilts. buttons.
table covers, feathers and even feather
busters, millinery ornaments, flower ma
terials, Masonic and society goods, etc.
Under the head Of Metals" there are
found nearly POO different branches Of
industry, from tho making of bells TO
that Of wire fence. Then there is no
separation whatever Of protected from
unprotected Industries. The building
trades occupy a conspicuous place, also
tho undertakers business. gas lighting,
electric appliances, and many other
things which bear no relation whatever
10 the tariff. Tho whole thing is jun
bled mp with the manifest purpose of
simply making grand total In accord
| with a preconceived object. II cannot
be told whether there has been any
actual increase In the rate Of wages paid
or not, but In view of the well known
feet that there was general paralysis
" trade tn many branches during 1890
the inference fairly IL that the increased
earnings and the increased product are
~. result simply Of more hours Of labor,
With The corresponding improvement In
machinery and general methods Of pro
ductiOn constantly notedG Ginally, these
tables include as workers. men, women
and children. and do not show The aver.
age amount earned by tho entire nearly
300, 900 pereons.
Tho fact is, no pretended hvestiga-
ton upon the subject Of tariff and wages
has been presented from afy source for
many years past Of less merit iu any
possible way than this paper OF Labor
Commissioner Peck. The political party
against which it Is manifeetly directed
can riddle II until there Is absolutely
nothing LETT OF is Not only that, bat
the document Is sure 10 prove destruc-
tive boomerang in the discussion Of the
wiedoin or unwisdom Of the present tar
III law, it's advantages or Disadvantage
70 the working people. For instance.
tho average Increase Of earnings for all
classes in the l88 branches OF trade 60
| absurdly included under the head of
| Clothing" is shown to be about thirty
cents week, OF 4 per cent over that
earned In 1900; while, as is well known,
some Of the schedules Of the tariff re-
lattng 20 clothing show an increase of
10 20 90 per cent. Again, what sense Is
there IN putting out document Of this
sort to try 10 convince the working peo-
pie of New York that their wages have
been raised, their financial condition
bettered' That is a matter which every
laborer certainly can tell fur himself
when he gets his weekly envelope and
| pays his weekly birls