The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1888-07-05
4 pERN,o,ous SYSTEM.

4 PERNiCioUS SYSTEM.
The Rspublican Party Essponsibss for the
Intxoductlon u Imported ContTsct Las
bos.
The Republicans writhe very naturally
, under tho charge brought against their
party BY the Michigan State Democratic
convention, Of responsibility for "tho per
nicious system OF imported contract labor
Some OF the more brazcr Of them D.. and
talk OF ridiculous state-,cnts !" and
"atrocious falsehoods;" nut the intelligent
Republicans simply winc~ under tho blow
and hold their peace. Tho 'snow that con-
tradicsion 10 suro 70 bring sit the proof;
and, aching = they are for tn labor vote,
they do not want the proof produced.
The proof must, however. 10 produced,
lest some needless friend Of labor may con-
clude that tho charge OF the Democratic
convention was nero partisan exaggcrA-
ton, which 1, sufficiently met by . naked
denial. The proof ID easy Il Is found in
the Congressional Record and tho United
states Statutes; and whatever else may b
said Of either, II can not be truthfully SAID
that they are untrustworthy.
In 1854, whom Congress was Repblican =
both branches, II passed IN cot authorizing
: Commissioner Of immigration; but which
was construed BY tho Kepubiioan statc De-
partmont 70 create . Bureau Of lmmigrar
ton. The Commissioner was 70 have 3,
clerk In Washington and . suneriutendent
In New York. Ihcy were empowered tQ
make rules and regulations and TO author-,
Ire contracts to be made for tho Importation
Of immigrants from abroad, which con-
tracts the law declared should BE- valid and
enforceable In the courts Of the United
States. "All contracts" the act provided,
/" that shall he made to emigrants to tho
United States In foreign counts,es In CON-
formlty to regulations that may b estab::
lishod by the said Commissioners whereby
emigrants shall pledge tho wages Of their
labor for : term not exceeding twelve
months to repay tbs expenses ef tAsir on,
igration shall DO held to be valid In law"
Il was provided, also, that tho emigrant's
agreement to repay the amot.:.s advanced
for his passage money and expenses should
b lion upon any real estate he might &C
quiro under the Homestead not or otherwise
and should have tho eject Of . mortgage,
Tho act was passed, o it, operation
showed for me benefit Of IN immigration
company in New York which was contract
ing abroad for foreign labor and wanted
tho power Of the Government to enable II
| 70 enforce its contracts. Homo Of tho poor
devils who wore hired at starvation prices
wanted better pay when they got here.
This law was intended TO hold them 70 theiY
agreement and to prevent their demand,
Ing the going rate Of wages In this ooun.
try; and Republican Congress lent tho
cid Of the Government TO the business.
The act looked 80 much like . provision
for enslaving immigrants that tho trainers
worc compelled to put in saving clause.
Il was expressly provided IN tho oct that
nothing herein contained sAall -
deemed to authorlso any contract c0atrar
venting the constitution Of tho United
States or creating in any way tho relation
Of slavery or scrvitude."
Il was thus, says the Detroit Fsee Pres,
that tbs Republican party, controlling every
the "pcrnicious system Of imported eea,
tract labor" The importation had been 81
tempted before without any Law. II had
been attempted by the New York Immigra-
tion Company and by individual employers
Of labor. But It had not been success; and
tho Republican party undeFtook "a malgs II
. success by throwing the whole weight Of
the Government on the side Of the employ
ing contractor against the immigrant and
AGAINST tho working-man in this country,
with whom this imported contract laborwa
TO compete.
Some of,ths moro intelligent Republican
leaders In Congress recognized tho cnoTmity
Of the act, but not until IN effort was made
| 10 amend II % ~ TO tie moro cffcCtually the
hands Of the laborcr imported under con.
tract. In 1865 . bill was introduced to
amend tho act Of 1864. II provided among
other things that II the employer was COM
PEELED TO enforce his claim for advances, the
laborcr should forfeit double the amount re-
naming unpaid. It provided, also, that the
employer might follow the dcht3r laboreF
and impound his wages anywhere In the
.'s,atsyi and that any now employer Of the
T.. - aAnpslled TO elect whether
debtor miRn. ~ -ssais hin and
he would discharge him OF -.
pay the importing employer his bill Of ID
vances.
senator Morrill,, to whose committee the
bill was referred, had his attention called
BY It to the act Of 1884, and instead Of re-
porting In favor Of the bill to amend that
act, recommended the repeal Of that act
His remarks upon the character Of the act
part y : lnln .,A eoi,ov,r. = 80 a. -
at least undcrstood how thornu.hiv A..
iectionable WAS the At. ana ~ .v.te,, -.
which il provided. Other Renuhlican een.
ators, among them Spraeue. 81 Rhoda
Island, defended the act: and. thoneh the
amendments were not adopted. the 1t 10
not repealed.
The Republicans never repealed Il. ma.
was left for Democratic Conoress. The
attempt was made in 1884. and on the 10Th
Of June in that year . bill 70 prohibit tho
importation and migration Of FOREIGNER.
and aliens under contract Or srreement -
perform labor in the United states. ia Tar
ritories or the District OF Columbia.n
PISSED the House n was reported IN the
Republican Senate, but not Considered.
But, at an carly date in the second sesaion
or the Forty-eight Congress. the bill -.
taken up and passed; and on the a0th 81