The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1884-01-23

POINT PLEASANT, WEST VA.
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Something for the Working.
Men 10 Ponder Over Tie
Renuiies Of Protection The
Manufactures only n Bene-
IIited-Hhlle all the Towns Of
Europe are being Ransacked
10 Gel Cheap Labor.
New York World. A system Of
introducing foreign labor into this
country, which was begun some
three years ago, has during the
past year assumed such alarming
proportions that il Is beginning to
attract much attention throughout
The country, and Congress, it is ex.
psctvd, will soon be filled with pc.
titions asking that some means be
adopted which will prevent it,
The system is one by which large
gangs Of laboren are gathered 70
gethc 10 Hungary sGsfmatiy add
1saly;6ythe agents Of large Corpo.
ratiOns in this country aud import
ed here after having signed CON.
tract to work SO many years at a
u certain stipulated price.
The laboro:s, it is said, are not
correctly informed Of the kind Of
work they will have tol.do in this
country, and in consequence agree
to work fora sum much lower than
that obtained by the laboring class.
es here. This system has BEEN ad
opted by the capitalists in New
York, New England, and to some
extent the cotton growing sections
Uf the South. Under promises Of
free passage to the land Of wealth
and property the poor wretches are
eager TO sign the contracts, and al.
though they are not binding here,
the men believe them to be SO, and
place themselves in a position
which is nothing more nor less
than slavery, Under these con.
tracts they are put in the mills,
factories, and mine, others are used
in railroad work, while those who
have no trade or profession are en-,
gagged us common laborers on the
farms.
An important document, recent.
IL issued by the Knights Of Labor,
aud largely circulated among
American workmen, calls upon the
latter to labor for the suppression
of a system which "for The unqnes.
toned purpose of reducing the
wages Of American workmen and
cntailing upon their families all
the hardships, poverty and misery
which ever follow the displace.
ment Of any class Of toilers."
The document also credits Mr..
Henry sterne, United States Con-
sui at Buda Pesth, Hungary, with
having said last year that an agen,
cy seemed to be at work which, by
Misrepresentation, induces people
10 leave their homes who will not
better their condition thereby, nor
benefit the country which receives
them. These persons are shipped
to the United States like so many
, cattle. A petition to congress, dc.
manding the suppression of the
system, is also in circulation for
signatures, aud calling for such leg.
islation as will forever prevent the
importation into this country Of
forcign laborers under contracts
made abroad.
Superintendent Jackson, of Gas.
tie Garden, said yesterday to u re.
porter of the World: 81 have no
doubt that this system is carried
on to great extent by corpora.
tions in this country who have
their agents abroud. Every now
and then large gangs Of luborers ar.
rive, all bound for the same town.
They are generally taken in charge
by some person or persons who
come here to meet them. 1t is not
our work to question each immi.
grant Us to why or how he came
here-Only TO ascertain whether
he can support himself"
"some few weeks ago a party
composed about sixty Irish and
German girls arrived, all of whom
we're going 10 one Of The large silk
manufacturing establishments in
New jersey, ldonot know whoth.
or they had contracted with any
persons, but | presume they had
done so. No one will undertake to
lend people to this country free Of
charge without some guarantee
that certain services will be per.
formed in lieu of the price of such
Oou.upn Wn have pnt,nr .o,,.;,,.1