It Hurt

The marnier in which the report of Commissioner Peck, of the New York Btate bureau of labor statistica, kas been received by the managers of Mr. Cleveland's cainpaign strikingly proves the familiar charge against the Deinocracy that it is essentially a calamity party. Mr. Peck is a Democrat; he has always been a Democrat. He was appointed to be commissioner of the labor bureau of New York on the date of its creation April 4, 1883, by Grover Cleveland, who waB then governor of New York. He has performed the duties of his office so admirably as that each suocessive Democratie governor has successively reappointed him. In 1886 he received his second commission trom David B. Hill; in 1889 Governor Hill renewed the commission, and last May Governor Flower appointed him for the fourth time. Mr. Peck's distingjiished character as a istician and the successful and important work he has done were recognized last May by lus election to the office of president of the American Association of Labor Coinmissioners at the association's convention in Denver. Mr. Piek succeeded in that office the well kuown statistician, Carroll D. Wright. it thus appears that the same high opinión of Mr. Peck's character, ability and record was entertained by nis fellow commissioners of labor throughout the Union as has been expressed by Mr. Cleveland, Mr. Hill and Mr. Flower successively during the last ten vears. What Peck Really Did Teil. Three -weeks ago Mr. Peck issued his ninth annual report. Necessarily it dealt with the conditions of labor in the state of New York since the McKinley bill went into effect. It ís Mr. Peck's duty to ascertain from year to year how American workingmen have fared in wages and production. He corresponded with 6,000 manufacturera in the state of New York and received from them statements of what had been going on in the variouslinesof tradeand reported to the governor the simple facts, as he was in duty bound to do. These facts were summed up in his own language as follows: "It appears that there was a net increase in wages of $6,377,925.09 in the year 1801 as compared with the amount paid in 1890, and a net increase of production of $31,315,130.68 in the year 1891 over that of 1 890. üf the sixty-seven industries covered by these statistics 77 percent, of them show an increase either of the wages or production, or both. There were no less than 89,717 instances of individual increases of wages during the same vear." Mr. Peck reported elsewhere in bis sumrnary statement these further facts: "Of the sixty-eight industries included, 75 per cent. of them show an increased average yearly earning in the year 1891, whiie the total average increase of yearly earninss of thn 2ftr ono omi,,, , $23.11. The average increase of yearly earnings of the employees of the fiftyone trades showing an increase was 143.96 in 1891 as compared with 1890. The total nuinber of strikes reported for the year 1891 was 4,519 as against 6,258 ocourring in the year 1890, a decrease of 1,740. Of the total number- 4,519- 2,375, or 53 percent, of them, werein the building trades." It Hurt Their Feelings. iNouvitüstanclmg that Mr. Peck is a Democrat, a Democratie official, and vas an appointee of Mr. Cleveland himself, these faets have dreadfully hnrt he feelings of the Democratie party, and more particularly of Mr. üleve' land's managers. They frankly confess tliat they do not want wages and prodaction to increase in the United States nnder a Republican administration- they won't listen to Mr. Peok's figures. They say the figures are false- they utterly decline to believe them- t.hfiv sim. ply won't have the facts as Mr. Peck reports them. One would suppose that pvery American party ought to be patriotic enongh to wel come the f act of increasing prosperity among the people, bnt the Democracy tlirives and grows fat on calamities. It is happiest when the people are overburdened with debts -when the statistics of labor are statistics of mortgages and mercantile failnres. This is a Democratie heyday, a uumuTOu mal, uíius iortn lts ruilest rejoicings. Mr. Cleveland's managers in New York have challenged Mr. Peck to a war of proofa. They propose that he shall subruit nis statistics to the examination of a committee of expert free trailers, gentlemen who are always competent to make figures mean anythiug that suits their purpose. The announced intention of this committee is to take Mr, Peck 's statements of increased wages and increased production and prove therefroiu that American labor is worse off in New York than ever before, and that the saddest calamity which can Eall an American workingman is to have more goods to sell than he nsed to have and to g-et more money for them. It is uiy delibérate judgraeiit that the prospcrity of America is mainly due to lts system of protective laws. I ui-ge that Germany ha now reached that point where it is necessary to imítate the taritl' systeiu f the United States.- Bismarck. One sentence of President Harrison's letter of acceptance contains enongh of high national doctrine for n dozen f"""" iMupaigii8. u ia tnat m which he describes the party's principies as embodying "a policy of safe progression and developtnenfc- of new faetones, new markets and new ships." The business man who recalls the days of wildcat banking wil] not vote to destroy a systein which gives every state all the banking facilities it requires and malres every bauknote in circulation as good as gold both at home and abroad. Bad eonsregatiiona'lsts- Corner lo.afers.