The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-05-14
Importation Of Foreign Contract
Labor.


s0umXTy
Z I most excellent time 10 look into the
history OF emigration and review some :.
attempted legislation in re- y
usrd 70 The importation OF foreign con- y
tract labor. Ii reads rather strangely IN
thai the first Law authorizing The impo-.
tatiou Of pauper labor was passed and q
approved by the President On the 4th
day Of July, 1864. when the Republicanlol
party had full control Of the Govern-Iu Y
ment-
The bill Vas engineered through the
Senate BY John sherman, and Wash-le
|burne. Of Illinois, had charge Of Il 10 thee
lIIouse. On page 3.299 Of the Congress q
lsional Record lind Mr.. Sherman urged
the confederation Of the bill. and ssidIc
.the bin Il on . modest scale TO CONS
lmence with" To show what Mr. Sher- 9
man's ideas Of modest SCALE were II
lcopy the second section. The provisious
lof the section so clearly authorize 81
Ispecies Of servitude that the authors Of
1.-The bill thought 1t prudent 10 insert the
last clause Ia the section. which is 81
lmere assertion that the relation OF sls-
VERY or servilude is not created by theil
bill. Here IL the section: Il
Section 2. And be il further enacted,
That all contracts that shall be made byI
|emiqrants to the United States In for
lejgn countries, in conformity 70 reguIa-
lions that may be established BY said
lCommissioner. whereby emigrants shall
IpledQe their labor for . term not exceed
ling twelve months. to repay the expen-
lses Of their emigration. shall be held 70
lbe valid in law. and may be enforced In
1.-The courts OF the United States Or the
lseveral States and Territories and such
advances. II 80 stipulated in the contract,
And the contract be recorded In the Re
,!lcorder's Office In the county where the
Iemigraut shall settle. ehall operate %
lien upon any land thereafter acquired,
until liouidated by the emigrant.
whether under the homestead Law when
the title is consummated. or on property
ACQUIRED by the emigrant
hut nothing herein contained shall Be
Ideemed to authorize any contract con.
ltravening the Constitution Of the United
\" Estates. or creating in any way the relA-
'" ltiou Of slavery or servitude-
NJ. Shermans modest scale" law VA
~ never carried into effect because II re-
.'lanired en- appropriation TO carry out IL
~ t.lnroyisions. but large corporations see
=, ing this law ON the statute book, Wer'
g e. warranted in concluding that Il was tn
policy Of those controlling the Govern
~ ment to allow the importation Of foreig
". 80 contract labor. and they went into %
~ lbusiness 8 on q much larger scale than
~ generally known to the public Henr
~ Sterne. United States Consul In Hun
3m cary. wrote 10 the State Department !
- 1881 that large numbers Of Hungarian
n" were being sent 10 this country unde
&c Z contract. He says: Il have informatio
Is that agents are managing the business
N" GOOD deal in the manner Of the COOL
!. trade. aud that immigrants are shippe
~ ~ The United States about like 20 man
~ slcastle.- Count Esterhazy. the Austria
- Consul 10 this country, established . 81
e reau for the protection Of the Hungsr
'nr n. an immigrants, and said great number
= lof immigrants are landed on thes
~ shores who are owned BY capitalists"
80 One firm in New York City, claimin
u. 70 be in the banking business. =
g .sn know lodged that since they had been
..s business !. 100 Italians had been brougi
\. lto this country under contract
y" But the importation Of foreign CO..
80 tract labor has not been confined
and Italians. The eviden'
."s n taken before Congressional commist'
ssIbrousht out the fact that, In mar
= branches OF manufacturing. pauper lab
has been imported under contrast a.
ler : committee Of the Lower House
lCouQress had obtained oil these facts
analbill vas reported to prohibit the impc
or ltation OF foreigners and aliens uud
the |contract to perform labor 10 the Uuit'
atlStates The report accompanying !
ted lbill said:
wayl The bill IN no measure seeks to !
ling Istrict free immigration. Such pro
tolositiou would be. and justly 90. odic
on Ito the American people, The foreign
the Who voluntarily and from choice leav
Da-lhi native land and settles In this COZ
ccr, ,ltrv. with the intention Of becoming
the 4 merican citizen. . part Of the Am
'ica- lean BODY polite. has always been v
soli- lcome 10 our shores"
oOO. The bill passed the House on the u
ock-lof June, 1884, BY vote Of lo2 TO
npa- which was then Democratic. The
cor vent 10 the Senate and that was the
'sio- lof Il. although the Senate was kep'
yS,sll llican. and that party proseeses u
~ M platform TO be opposed 20 the tmpoI
''uO tion OF foreign contract labor.
RFs"y Fssy During the discussion Of the bill ]
sco Iit WAS stated BY one Of the member
ling .nc ~ . ~ 49, 80 ~ Inlv z II
The the P.s..So = 49, ~ ,saa- -.-- :
fIi .fhs,i high. and they needed importation
~ - that account. am not Informed Wit
er or not such bill = passed the uo
= Z IN 1854 and was killed IN the Sensts
:. . : now pending In the House, but
= times would seem 70 demand the spe
passage Of such law.
nsand - IN.