Evening journal., 1888-08-21
Terrible Revelations.
7. v. Powderly Before the Inn
migration Committee.
TESTIMONY OF GREAT INTEREST.

How American Labor suffers by the Con-
tract Syseem-Immigrants Checked Like
BaggaGe--A Syndicate which Sells Girls
for Immoral Purposes.
NEW YoRK Aug. e1.-The congressional
Investigation committee closes its sessions in
New York Tor tho present to-day, The testi-
mony elected at the last session was OF the
greatest interest and Importance to Ameri-
can laborers
Collector Magone was the first witness ex-
Rmined
He stated that it was his busines to SEQ that
the contract labor law was enforced when
violations Of it We're brought TO his attention
by the emigration commissioners, but not
otherwise. lie read the law on that point,
and showed Chairman Ford why he CON
sidered he had no jurisdiction until he was
notified by the emigration commissioners.
Terence V. Powderly, general master
workman OF the Knights OF Labor since
1872 was the next witness He said he
thought there were about 100000 members
Of the order. With an executive committee
Of six, il is his duty 70 exercise "a general
supervision of the various branches Of the
Knights
"What persons are admitted to your
prderr
I'VE admit all manual laborers. | had
better tell you whom we sxclude-that
would give you better idea We exclude
all rumsellers, bankers, lawyers and profes-
sional politicians
Congressman Spinola l. Mr. Powderly,
what do you mean by profess ional politi-
cinnsi'
Il mean those who hang around and do
nothing hut talk politics. don't mean all
office holders, as there are many Of these
who are good men and do good work.
you mean, then, what are known as po-
htical sti ikersf
''Yes. guess that is what they are.n
Chairman Ford-What do you think is the
effect Of the present system OF contract i'm
migrationg
II think it is very bad Thousands are
brought to this country under the impression
that they can get splendid wages without
troublen
"Do you know Of any particular case when
this kind Of immigration produced injury to
American workmenr
I'm 1882 / visited the Eckert mine at
Frostberg, Nd. l there found a room 100
feet long by 80 feet wide, in which were
hunks around the walls in rows OF five, one
over the other. / was informed that the
room was occupied by l05 men. I saw some
Of them, and found that nearly all were
Hungarians. who had been brought over be-
cause American miners opposed a reduction
Of wages These men were working for half
the money paid the others
Witness then stated that these people were
/ filthy in their habits, and lived mostly or
salt pork and water.
Mr.. Powderly then told the committee Z
statement made TO him by a Hungarian
woman two years ago in Cleveland in which
she admitted that she kept house for eight
Hungnrians and acted in matrimonial
capacity to all Of them. When asked why
she lived such life she replied that II shs
married one Of the men she would starye
/ Mr. Powderly said he was satisfied that Their,
/ were hundreds Of such cases in this country
among those Hungarian immigrants
'The greater part Of the immigrants nov
/ coming here are OF an undesirable character
I When a man working along railroad hai
10 have a brass check with a number on /
4 fastened to his waistband so that he could b
identified, it looks very much as though tn
labor market was being supplied with IN
desirable MATERIAL
"How many men are there In the Unite,
States out Of work nowfn
81 think that there are over a million un
employed persons"
Congressman Oates-Who are the obiec
tionable classesl
"Mostly Hungarians ana Italians. al
who come here under contracts are obiec
tionable, no matter how skillful or intelll
gent they are"
Witness stated that the reason why con
gress was asked pass a contract labor Ia,
was on account of the importation q
Chinese TO the Harmony bills, Beaver Fall.
Pa. The men employed there were gettin
$3.50 and 6 day while tue Chinese wer
paid SIS a month, with an extra hours wor
added.
Mr. Powderly stated that he did not b.
leve that fine was sufficient punishment
Those who import workmen under contrac
shou d 30 imprisoned. The payment of
fine when detected does not seem % dete
them. II a manufacturer clears 5000 b
imported labor he does not mind payin
$1,000 in fines.
Most Of the cases already examined b
this committee were already known to III
Knights Of Labor In the case Of the rIr
imported for the Barbour fax mills at Pa
Ata+iAf N ----fN AtHfN iaNN ttN al tAAH ALuln
the matter"
What do you think Of trustsgn
al think they are very detrimental to IN
welfare Of the country. They are the stan
and deliver gentry OF the nineteenth cer
tury They smother or crush out all sma
operators. The strong arm Of the govern
ment should reach out and crush thes
trusts
Mr. Powderly stated that he was Of III
opinion that the labor Of children was a
important factor in reducing wages Of worl
men.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2l.-Mrs Charlott
Smith, president of the Women's Nations
Industrial League, has written Chairma
Ford, Of the house committee, now in Nev
York investigating the immigration question
that syndieates exist in New York an
Boston for the purpose Of supplying fresl
young and pretty girls from immigrants al
irving in this country for houses of i'll fame
Agents Of the syndicate, she says, frequent
10 abroad and assist in the nefarious bus
ness. Immigrants arriving in New Yor
city furnish, she says, 10000 victims al
nually.
Governor Hill Exonerated.
ALBANY, Aug. 2O-James Wall, presiden
Of Albany Typographical union No 4, ha