Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 October 1892 — PECK’S BAD RECORD. [ARTICLE]

PECK’S BAD RECORD.

His Revenge Upon Democrats. Labor Commissioner Peck, of New York, who is now under indictment foi destroying public records, in his late re. port on the increase of wages, padded al the request of the national Republican committee, makes a statement that the carpet workers received an increase ol wages in 1891. The New York Times has made diligent inquiry among th< carpet workers of that city, but hai failed to find one man whose wages have been increased since the enactment ol the McKinley tariff. The employes oi Higgins’ carpet factory, on West Forty third street, state that they have had nc advance in wages since the election ol Harrison. That since that event, their union has been broken up, and conse quently unable to enforce any demand they might make for advance. And that the manufacturers have shown no inclination to raise wages, but on the contrary, complain that they have t« pay higher duties on carpet wool and also on other materials. Mr. W. L. Brower, the president ol the general council of the shoemakers, said that the wages of shoemakers in this state have been going down since 1888. Tney were reduced about 25 pei cent, within a year. Inquiry among workmen in large shoe factories, in the city of New York, show that'no advance has been made in pay for several years. Apropos of the motives of Commissioner Peck for issuing an alleged labor report to boom the McKinley bill, the Buffalo Evening Times publishes a letter from Homellsville, Peck’s old home, in which his former neighbors telltales by no means creditable to him. A number of years ago he ran a newspaper in Dansville, which aroused such a bitter feeling by his vituperative abuse of people, that it culminated in their seizing his office and dumping the type into the street, and he suddenly disappeared from view. His next public appearance was in 1878, when he became associate editor of the Homellsville Tribune. Here he was horsewhipped by two women. A libel suit was brought by Mrs. Braslin, a widow residing in Warsaw, whom he attacked in his paper. She secured a verdict of $14,000 against Peck. the public streets of Homellsville, and Peck was burned in effigy. It was about this time that he bolted the Democratic ticket. In 1882 he had a partner in his paper who was able to bring about a reconciliation with the leaders of the Democrats of the county. Peck wrote a laudatory editorial, nominating Hill for governor, and sent it to the Elmira Gazette which published it. Thereafter, he posed as the discoveror of Hill, who was made lieutenant governor with Cleveland as governor. This is the chief reason why Hill espoused Peck’s cause, and secured his appointment by Cleveland as labor commissioner, and using every effort on later occasions to secure his retention in office when his dismissal was demanded by Democrats throughout the country where he was known. In 1885 Peck forged a credential to the workingmen’s trade assembly convention held at Rome. He claimed to be a representative of the Car Drivers’ association, of Syracuse. His deception was soon discovered and he was ousted from the convention. Ever since Governor Flower has been in office, the Democrats of Homellsville have been trying to have Mr. Peck removed from office, because the fact that a man of his reputation held a state office under a Democratic administration had caused a revolt in the rank and file of the Democratic party in 1868. That on account of Peck’s appointment the district which had averaged Republican majority of about 600, gave Harrison 2,000 majority. Frank Campbell, Senator Walker and delegates from Homellsville and vicinity, called on Governor Flower during the HillFebruary convention and demanded his dismissal in the interest of the Democratic party. It is said that Governor Flower promised to remove him after the election, and it is believed that Peck, knowing that his time was short, made this report out of pure cussedness and revenge, believing that it would bring him notoriety whioh he seemed to crave. It is generally believed, too, that Peck was promised to be taken care of after the election by Harrison for his reward in making this report. And this is the Peck that Mr. Harrison quoted in his letter of acceptance to sustain his plea for the McKinley tariff,