Afro-independent. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. ;) 1888-1???, 1888-09-22

government was over 81 oa, 600 Goa. and when
we had TO pay da0Jo,ooO q year interest II
the Government needed big revenue IL need
ed itthen. II these taxes had been kept up
ten years they would have wiped out the pub
lie debt ent rely. Why should the Republican
party abolish o tax OF three per cent on rail
road companies at a time when the Govern
ment needed the money, and object now 10 re-
duce tax OF two dollars on a poor mans
blanket at time when the Government don't
need the money at all II the rich man is en-
Titled to have three per cent. tax on incomes
abolished when the Government was hard up
for money, why should not the poor
man have the tax OF eighty cents on
The wooden shirt reduced at a time when the
Government Treasury is bursting with wealth.
Does II not look If these men were
straining at guaL when they had previously
swallowed camelf The tariff OF Russia aver
ages IS per cent. Italy has tari1 Of 10 per
cent, Germany one OF per cent, Austria s
per cent, France per cent. What IS oursy
Forty-seven per cent.-eQual 10 tnaL OF France,
Germany. Austria and Italy combined. And
we propose now 10 reduce it from So on the
hundred to so on the hundred and we are told
that we shall not do IT. because IL means free
trade;" that instead OF that we must take the
tax of OF whisky. We will let the voters de.
eide. would like 10 know whether the trusts
and combines shall make our tax laws, or
whether the people propose to make themY
There is another great question which is
thrusting Itself forward. and which must soon
be met and dealt with n a most thoughtful and
careful manner refer 10 the question OF i'm
migration. had the honor on Labor day, a
year ago, to address the working-mcn Of this
city, at Reeds lake, upon this very subject
foresaw at that time that IL was fast becoming
an important problem. Since then / have
given considerable study TO the question and
the result OF that study / embodied In a bill
which introduced in the House early in the
present session. The bin was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, but was never
reported back
notice in the newspapers, from time TO time.
accounts OF the arrival OF large numbers OF i'm
migrants at the port OF New York. who had
been induced to immgrate by false represen-
tationS as 10 the opportunities for obtaining
work in this country, and who were in penni-
less and destitute condition This moved
me to introduce resolution prov ding
for the appointment OF committee of five to
investigate as to whether our immigration laws
were being enforced This resolution was
passed by the House last July. and the Speaker
did me the honor to appoint me chairman of
| the committee. We commenced to investigate
| the question. and have been almost continu-
| Dusty engaged in it ever since. We spent most
OF our time In the city OF New York.
The result OF our investigation shows an
alarming state OF affairs. We discovered that
/ ~ - Tue practice bI most steamship lines 10
have agents in every village and hamlet OF
southern Europe, who use every article 20 IN
duce peoole TO buy tickets 20 America. Pla-
cards are posted up IN prominent places. with
the information that there ~ plenty OF work
for common laborers in the United States al
$50 per day, and that fortune is easily made
IN a short time. II a man has no means. but is
possessed Of a little property, such as horse
or mule. or a little land, the steamship agent
will take mortgage on the property at Is per
cent interest for the price OF the passage tick
et Thousands Of persons are thus induced, BY
lying statements, 10 immigrate 20 the United
States
Again, there Is a class OF Italians in this
country who make a business OF importing
common laborers in large numbers They Oh
tam contracts to furnish laborers, principally
70 work in constructing railroads. They prose
cute their business in about this wise: They
all have agents in Italy. and they will write to
the agent TO Eend them a certain number oil
men. The agent then goes through the small
towns in Italy, Offering 10 prepay the passage
OF men TO the United States, and furn sh them
plenty of work at q or $50 per day. The pas
sage ticket costs about t25, and the agent
requires an agreement from each man "a
whom he furnishes a ticket that in considera
ton OF the ticket being furnished him he will
pay back out OF his wages a sum ranging al
the way from e4O TO $40 depending upon the
grant arrives in this country he is taken In
charge by the Italian contractor here and put
20 work. But his troubles have but just com
meneed From that time on the immigrant. In
many cases, is Systematically robbed by the
contractor. In this manner whole towns have
been nearly depopulsted in Italy and within
the last eight years nearly 10000 men have
been imported from Italy. only per cent OF
whom were skilled laborers.
The committee examined a large number OF
them, and did not in a single instance ind .
man who had intended TO become a citizen OF
the United States All OF them invariably re-
piled that they intended 70 come here for a
year or two and make money and then return.
Upon examining q lot OF newly arrived immi-
grants, we found several who did not know
whether this country was an empire, kingdom,
or q republic. They did not kDow whether We
had king or President. They were all bound
for the coal regions IN Pennsylvania Taking
all the immigrants together within the last
eight years, A2J0, $50 people have come 70 the
United States. large proportion Of these
people we're common lGborers a great number
Of whom had come BY reason OF lying state
ments IS to the condition OF the labor market
here. and the effect upon the laboring men Of
the United States By this forced Induced and
stimulated immigration has been very depress-
ing
Ia Boston we discovered that OF al fisher
Gustries IS per cent were aliens. dOn't mean
foreigas born, but aliens. SUI ssets Of Great
Britain. and also 1000 people came 70 the port
Of Boston every year from Nora Scotia and
New Brunswick 20 work u This country during
the summer months and 90 back IN the fail
Samuel Gompers, president OF the AmerTeaa
Federation Of Labor. testified that - per cent
Of the eigar-makers il New YORK were aliens
persons who never Intended 70 become eltizeas
OF the United States
Mr. Powdersy. General MasteF-W crkman Of
the knights Of LABOR OF America. testified that
ia his opsnicz there we're over .060.00Q 81 men
IN the United States ouf o. work who were
ready and willing 70 work II they eouId fiEd
employment and also that some o. these i'm
ported IaDorefs were not known b. any name.
bat that they each had q brnss eneck, with
number on IL attached 20 Their waist. asd were
simply known b. tbs Number that the cheek
bears
EVER alnshoase and ehAr,tab3s Institution
ia New YORK State Is fall and oVeraowlng,
which Is largely 0wszg TO fhss inaBeed ara az
sisted immigration. GEd TIE State azrp2ttT
spends Gsa9ss109 for TIE sapvost o. pAupefs
aaa tnaA1e-
The savsstigatio5 also shows E1E1en0zs -
stauceK OF the T1porfassGn ~ taoorsFs under
contract in a1rees violation Of fhe las. Tnis -
largely owizg 20 the fact tat tse law prov dss
no machinery for ia endorsement me eFf-
3ence also disclosed that society exists "a
EagIAnd whose object . ne tmp0rtotsoa q