The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-31
BAD FOR Mr.. PECK.
Exhibitors at Paris Make
Charges of ExtOrtiOn.
Large Sums Demanded for Al
lOtment Of Space.
INQUIRY ASKED FOR.
Government is Requested to
Make Investigations.
May Result in Resignation of
Director General.

Chicago, May ga special to the
Inter Ocean from Washington says:
The state department today received
a complaint from an American exhibit
tor at the Paris exposition, making ser
ious charges against Commissioner Peck
and those associated with him in the
administration. These charges are that
the men appointed to look after the
welfare of the American exhibit are
guilty of practicing blackmail upon the
exhibitors. The department does not
feel warranted in making public the
names of the compliments at the pres
ent time, nor their charges, but it is
admitted that they are serious enough
to call for an investigation.
Briefly stated, the main complaint is
that the officials in charge of the Am
eT1can department at the exposition are
allOting space to the highest bidders,
and are applying the receipts to their
personal uses. One letter, received by
Republican congressman and referred
to the department, describes the situa
ton in this language:
The French government gives the
| space free of cost to foreign exhibitors,
| but some of the representatives of our
| government having supervision of the
/ United States sections, make the ex-
| hibitor pay whatever can be extorted
4 from him (S150 and upward) before he
| is allowed to exhibit. AS there are 1000
| exhibitors and over, tie field for opera
| ton is enormous Some of the exhibit
/
/ ors refuse to be held up, while others
submit for fear of being compelled to
| remove then exhibits.
| ALLEGED PLAN OF EXTORTION.
THE work of extortion is largely done
| through third person. An acquaintance
| of mine, who secured his space nearly
| two years ago and has his exhibit in
stalled, and for which the government
| of the United States has not expended
one cent in the way of decorating either
space or section. is threatened daily
| with removal unless he pays this third
| party $3.50. This third party is the
spokesman of the official in charge of
| the section.
I applied for a small space for Chi
cago firm to place a show case occupy
| ing floor space OF seven square feet
| / could have secured the space at once
| if I had agreed to being held up by the
third party. The first proposition was
that I should pay bonus of 1925, but
this was dropped to 5000, which was
stated to be the ultimatum. I refused
to accept the space, and removed the
goods to London, writing to the off1cia
that / objected to being held up by my
own American people. He never re-
piled, and I do not think the letter viii
appear in the file of official correspon-
dence. In another section a space six
by six feet was held at $500 as late as
May Ia, a month after the exposition
opened"
INVESTIGATION TO BE MADE.
The complainant in this case adds
| that ne DelSNeS II the duty OF congress
or of the state department to act in
manner which will remedy these evils
| and relieve the officials of the Ameri
can branch of the exposition from the
criticism which is now current in Paris
These complaints are SO serious tina
the state department and probably con
gress will be called upon to investi
gate.
There is much dissatisfaction witt
| Commissioner Peck, both here and il
Paris, because of his extravaganza ant
his assumption that he is a law unit
| himself, in no way bound to follow tn
} advice of state department officials o
members of congress. Since his appoint
ment he has assumed that he was su
prene, and that congress had no othe
duty than to provide all the money h
: demanded to pay the expenses of hi
t bureau. His accounts have been unsat
| isfactory, and demands for explanation
/ have not been complied with. He is no
I on good terms with the United State
2 embassy in Paris. his vanity preventing
= him from acknowledging that the gov
eminent has any higher official repre-
sentative in Paris than himself.
, On the whole, Mr.. Peck has succeed
ed in making himself disliked in ever
= | department of the government where h
should have loyal friends. and if he sur
wives the exposition he will have an ex
: ceedingly interesting time in settling u
his accounts when he comes home. H
may be recalled if he cannot promptl
/, | explain to the satisfaction of the presi
! | dent this latest complaint against hir
!. and those associated with him in Pari.