The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-07-08
The Ten Irish Girls.

The Independent gives the following
illustration of the practical operation of
an exceedingly stupid law passed by
the last congress. The comments of
the Independent will impress all sober
minded people with their truth and
sense: The people of the United
States, are beyond all question, saga
cious and brave people. They know
how to anticipate and prevent danger;
and if the danger actually comes upon
them, they then know how to take the
bull by the horns, and fight the danger
with true American pluck. They have
withal congress just equal to them
selves in this respect. A very conspic-
uous illustration of this statement has
recently occurred in this city. 1t seems
that ten Irish girls wanted to come to
this country, hoping here to better
their situation and make life easier;
but, unfortunately for them, they had
no money with which to pay the pas
sage, and they were too anxious to
come at once to wait for time to earn and
save the necessary money. This was de-
cidedly bad for them. 1t so happened,
however, that there was man in this
country who wanted to employ just
this number of girls, and who made a
bargain with them, by which he agreed
to advance, and did advance, their pas
sage money, and in which they agreed
to repay the money by deduction OF
fifty cents from their weekly wages
until the whole amount should be paid
Under this agreement the girls started
for this country, and all things went on
swimmingly with them until they landed
in Castle Garden of this city; and then
they unexpectedly ran their heads
against the law of congress forbidding
the importation of foreigners under
contract to work in any part of the
United States. There they were in
Castle Garden, and there they were de-
tanned under the new law against inn
ported contract labor, enacted by the
last congress. The authorities in some
way got wind of their bargain, and put
the law in force, and suddenly dashed
all their hopes. This law imposes {
fine of thousand dollars on any per
son who brings, or in any way assists
in bringing, into the United States, any
foreign laborer who has made con
tract to work here after his or her ar
rival, and makes it crime for any mas
ter of a vessel knowingly to bring sucl
persons to this country. Foreign la
borers, unless they happen to be China
men, may come without any restraint
if they do so without any previous con
tract as to their work when they ge
here; but, if they make any such con
tract, then their coming is forbidden
So reads the law of congress. We hav
several times expressed our opinion o
this law, and have seen no occasion t.
change it. We regard the Legislation
as one of the silliest and most stupi
enactments that ever found place il
the statute book of the nation. 1t is il
this respect fit supplement to our ant
Chinese law. The theory of the law
if it has brains enough to have a theory
is to prevent the competition of foreig
labor with wage-earners at home; an
this is proposition to regulate the rat
of wages here by decreasing the suppl
of labor in this market. If the idea
good at all, then all foreign laborel
/ should be excluded, and not simpl
those who come under contract. TIL
truth, however, is that there is no e,
cess of labor in the market of the Unite
, States, and never has been; that on
of the great demands of this'country
| for labor to develop its resources an
| that such will continue to be the fa'