Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-08-21
The EiEd of Labor That Il Undermining
Native Americans.


Native Americans.
Copyright. 1855. By tie California associated Press
New YosK August 20th General Mas
ter Workman Puwderly OF the Knights of
Labor and Collector Msgone testified be-
fore the Congressional Committee on I'M
migration this morning. Magone said that
several cases of pauper, criminal and
assisted immigrants had come under his
notice He beiiey ed the foreign contract
labor law was not intended to be general,
but to stop the engagement of European
workers for 5n occasion such as when a
strike is in Or; gress, and men are imported
to sUpplant The strikers. He thought the
regulation OF immigration should be left
with the Secretary Of the Treasury. The
members of the committee nodded their
heads approvingly.l
Powderly related that an agent OF his in
Europe reported that on the bill boards in
all the large cities in Europe were flaming
posters, telling how much better off the
people would be in America, and how
much wages they could earn, etc. Emf
grants were drGmmed up by steamship
agents. The witness visited Pennsylvania
mine and found the opening surrounded
by tight board fence twelve feet high.
Inside. in low wooden buildings, were five
rows of beds. The bed clothing was black
and grimy. One hundred and five Hun
garians ate from long pine table pork
which was alive with maggots and bread
that smelied. They wore shoes of wood
made by themselves. They had come TO
take the place of the strikers in this, the
Eskert mine, and did succeed in breaking
the backbone of the strike. The immediate
effect in the Lehigh region was very bad.
They finally drift into all lines of work and
compete with American labor
Mr.. Po1derly said he was down in Car
bondale in 1910, and fifteen or twenty
years ago, when the miners of that region
were comfortably well fixed. They were
mainly natives, Now more than half the
miners are Moravians. They never become
Americanized, bring nothing TO America,
and usually have one woman to eight or
nine men. They talked to one of these
women. She said she had no alternative
Eight of the men could make a living for
her, and if she married any one they would
starve. " think the only evil comes from
the immigration of men who may be found
along the line of the Pennsylvania rail
roads, pick in hand, and only known by
the number on a brass check attached to
their suspenders. l would have every
American citizen speak the English Ian
guage."
immigration since 1880, said Powderly,
has been very dangerous to American
workingmen. There are now 100000 men
idle in the United States, men who would
like to get work The Hungarisns and
Italians are the most Objectionable of i'm
! migrants. All immigrants who come I'M
der contract are undesirable" Powderly
admitted the Chinese were decidedly obiec-
tionable, still there were educated and CIV
ilized Celestials who were Knights of
Labor. But they had become un-Chinese.
He believed the cheapening of passage
rates had been an important factor in in
creasing immigration. He would force the
increase of passage rates. and would oblige
each intending immigrant TO file a notice of
intention months prior to coming. He
should have his pedigree thoroughly estab-
lished before he was permitted to ship for
America. and closely scrutinized before he
was permitted to land.
The committee will adjourn tomorrow,
and resume labors in Boston.
PARTISAN "FAKEn EXPOSED.
New YORK. August 20,h-This after
noon VIM. Martin, tinsmith, testified
that the influx of immigrants the past half
dozen years had brought the wages of tin
smiths down from So so to 81 rs per day.
He mad read of gardeners being brought to
this country under contract by Levi P.
Morton.
Have you knowledge of this in your
official capacity" asked Congressman
Guenther.
81 read it in the Star and Journal" re-
piled the witness.
Don't you think this was printed in
that paper for political purposes?"
II don't know"
at is merely idle gossip, printed by
partisan paper, SO far as you know" asked
Gunther.
well, no, l don't think So" said the
witness, "but | am not convinced of its
truth"
Arthur F. Curtis, reporter for the Star,
volunteered to tell the committee what he
knew about the importation of contract
labor. He said: 81 learned of man
named Forbes, gardener for Morton, hav
ing come to this country under contract to
receive $50 or $35 month. A few months
ago Forbes learned that he was receiving
only half the amount paid by other gentle
men, and told Morton he would work no
longer at those rates." Witness said his
informant on these subjects was McCrae,
who was formerly head gardener for Nor
ton, but left his employ when he was low
cred in his position.
Congressman Guenther, in cross exam
lining the witness, directed his attention to
an article recently published in the Star
containing an account of how an Italian
immigrant was bribed into becoming a
supporter of Harrison.
Witness said that the writer of the ar.
ticle was suspended because the story was
fake"
The committee discussed the reporters
testimony, and all agreed that it was hear
say. 1t was retained on the record, how
ever, and an adjournment was taken until