St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-07-28
NOW TAKING TESTIMONY.
Work of the Congressional Committee
on immigration.
CONTRACT LABOR SYSTEM.
EX0rbitant Sums Which New Arrivals
Are Forced to Pay as COM
missions.

NEW YORK, July 27.-The congress
slonal committee on immigration matters
met again to-day at the Westminster ho-
tel. Roberto Mario, the manager of the
Italian emigration society resumed the
stand. He furnished list of sub-con-
tractors who were known to ply their
trade among the poor Italian emigrants.
These people, he said, eXacted commits
sions from employer and empIoye. In
some cases he had known emigrants to
pay commissions to six or seven per-
sons and then not secure work. Five
laborers, who had been hired in Italy,
came here on a National line steamer
last June. Witness wrote to Collector
Magone about the matter. In his letter
Mr. Mario said the men were under con.
tract with Paolo Farsone,
MAN OF BAD REPUTATION,
who had hired them to go to Saratoga.
Mr.. Magone, in answer, said the matter
commissioners and they decided that
the men should pass through. Witness
hadn't seen the five since. One Angelo
Leo, in may last, imported 100 Iaborers
by the steamer Entella, of the Italian
Navigation company. He found the
men in castle Garden and there learned
their condition. Leo secured the men
in Italy and purposed forwarding to one
Ungaro, at 153 West Third street, st.
Paul, Mimi. In the deal it was shown
that each of the men was compelled by
loan of S2l. Witness wrote to Engaro,
but got no answer. These were all the
cases of imported contract labor that
had come under his notice. LaborerS
in Italy, he said, are very poorly paid,
except in harvest time, when they
GET DOLLAR DAY.
Francisco ZappOne, an Italian mulet-
eer, said he had come to this country.
in May on ticket which one of Tocci'sI
agents had sent to his native village
with Instructions to get man. Witness
told about the wages he could earn in
his own country. He said he could
make from to 2 francs day at driving
mules for nine months in the year. A
part of the time he worked at farming (
when he would share in the crop with!
the owner, but would receive no money.
The witness could not tell what his
wages for year would amount to
because he never figuredit up, but he
thought it would average little more /
to pay house rent and the living of his
family. He might occasionally get
present of a bottle of wine. He has a
wife and two children in Italy.
The first witness sworn at the after
noon session was another labOror, An
tonic Di Dierrovo. He came here Aprils
81 last from Naples at the solicitation of
one Giovanni Di ChicchiO. He was
able to
OBTAIN TEN CENTS A DAY
and board in Italy at farming. and came
to this country under the impression
that he would earn S1.50 day.
Di Chicchio paid his passage for 200
francs, and of that amount witness now
owes his professed benefactor about
S35. Twenty-four countrymen came
over with witness at the same time and
under the same circumstances. He and I
they are now anxious to return. He
finds that he cannot make the living that
he expected to make in this country,
and would rather beg than work for is
cents a day.. He is of the firm belief
that Di Chicchio has lied about this
country. AT 5:15 p. m. the committee
adjourned for the day,