Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-08-02
IMMIGRANTS swINDLEo.


Facts Coming Out as to Excessive italian
Immigration and How Immigrants are
Robbed by Contractors.
NEW YORK, July 27.@CongresSmnn
Oates, of Alabama, was with the House
immigration Committee yesterday John
G. Curtis, who had charge of the Storage
business of the >Cunard line, was the first
witness. The line paid agents y a head
commission. 1t had six or eight agents
here. Their yearly importations were as
follows: 1888, II, 55S; 1884. S,427; 1885, 49,
SIS; 1886. 1864; 1887, 1872, and for six
months of the present year, 81 ,194. The
company employed all means required by
law to prevent the landing of contract
laborers. Last year the company sold
loo prepaid tickets. Ten tickets was the
limit of purchaser at one time. Witness
did not know of any pool existing between
steamship companies to control rates.
Physicians under the English Government,
who inspected passengers about to come
here by his line, confined their labors to
finding out if any person was afflicted
with a contagious disease. He did not
think they bothered themselves about
lame or servile passengers. The object Of
the search was to protect all sailing under
the English flag.
The Italian Vice-Consul, Attillio Monaco,
stated that in his official capacity he had
authority from his Government to furnish
money to send back any paupers or dis
abled Italians. There was no limit placed
on the amount he should expend, but it
was left entirely to his own judgment.
About 30 per cent. of the Italians COM
ing over here were farmers; 80 per cent.
skilled laborers, and the balance day
laborers. He had about a month ago re-
ceived 81 900 from his Government to be
distributed among the poor Italians here.
This money was sent to the Consulate by
Baron Fava, the Italian Minister, acting
under instructions from the Home Govern
ment, and the money was turned over to
the Italian immigration Society for dis
tribution.
Signor Monaco gave some interesting in
formation about the matter in which con-
tractors here induced their countrymen to
emigrate. He said they could send to.
Italy to their agents there to secure GER
tain number of men and send them over
here, paying their passage. Then the
emigrants would agree to work for the
contractors and pay them anywhere from
! 50 to $25 interest for advancing the pas
sage money. The men, when they arrive
here, were entirely at the mercy of the
contractors who, a rule. kept saloons on
! Mulberry street. They would put the men
to work and all the money for their labor
was paid direct to the contractors
who would hold it until they got
their money and exorbitant inter-
est and often would get another
months pay from them and then let them
go without giving them any money. This
was not SO bad now as three years ago,
owing to the enforcement of the Contract
Labor law. As a rule these contractors
kept a bank, a saloon. a labor bureau and
a ticket office all in one. The Italian peo-
pie were very saving and deposited their
money in these banks, which were under
no supervision whatever. Lately, he said,
| they were getting suspicious of them be-
cause three bankers had within year
past skipped out without paying up.
| Within the past year 1000 to 5000 had app
| piled to him for assistance, and most Of
| them were men who could not get work.
Commissioner Morrow questioned Mona
| co about how the Italians working on the
aqueduct were employed. He said that
they were employed through the contract
or bankers here. Sometimes both the con-
! tractors who employed the men and the
men themselves paid commissions to these
labor agents.
Robert Mario, the founder and manager
of the society, explained that "bosses,"
who hired Italians through labor bureaus,
usually made the men rent shanties and
buy their food and clothing at stores kept
| by the bosses, and he had known of cases
where when the mon had bought at other
than the company stores the value of
the articles purchased was deducted
from their pay and allowed to the
bosses. Italian bankers here had agents
on the other side who scour the country to
induce people to come over here. Thou
! ands of emigrants had told him that they
| were told on the other side they could get
profitable employment here as soon as
| they landed Thousands remained here
who would gladly go back home if they
had money enough to pay their passage.
1t was a wrong idea that Italians would
work cheaper than any one else; they al
ways wanted the best wages that were
paid.