St. Paul daily globe., 1888-08-28
TAX THE FOREIGN PAUPERS
q Preventive of Indiscriminate Imnli-
grafton Suggested by Bay State
Authority.
OVERLOOKING ALMSHOUSES.
massachusetts, Prisons and Asylums
Crowded With Alien Culprits and
Lunatics.
special to the Globe.

Special to the Globe.
Boston, Aug. 27.-The special con-
gressional committee appointed to in
oulre into the enforcement of the immi-
grafton laws, especially investigating
the alleged violations of the anti-con-
tract labor laws, began their hearings in
this city at the fremont house this
morning The members of the commit
tee present were: Chairman NJ. Ii. Ford,
of Michigan; Col. w. c. Oats, of Ala
bama. and Hon. Richard Guenther, of
Wisconsin.
Stephen Wrightington, of Fall River,
agent of the state board of lunacy and
charity, was first sworn. He testified
that since 1872 no head tax has been col
lected under the state laws. The state
board is under contract with the United
States treasurer for the administration
of the immigration laws at Massachu-
setts ports. Every immigrant arriving
here who becomes an object of
charity after five years is sup
pc ted by the state, the United
Sc es government reimbursing the
st. during the five years for taking
cGie of paupers and insane persons.
LIST year rs, 132 passengers, including
4.,062 immigrants. arrived at MaSSa-
chusetts ports. There had been an in
crease of lunacy, but witness thought
not of pauperiSm on account of foreign
immigration. Last year the board re-
ported 107 persons who ought not to
land. Three were lunatics. one con-
vict, fifty-seven paupers and fOrty-SiX
brought over under contract. Six of
hn II nnf. nl 10 lon RI
and titty-five were returned on the
steamer. OF the contract laborerS five
were allowed to land, four escaped and
thirty-seven were returned. Witness
as informed that $1,000, 900 had been
appropriated by the Tuke fund to held
emigrantS from Ireland to America.
Between 1882 and 1854 7,459 such assist
ed emigrants landed at Massachusetts
ports. The local authorities take adj
vantage of the fund to ship
PAUPERS FROM WORKHoJSES
and 120 such were returned hence last
year. The mansion house fund was for
the importation of large numbers of Rus
sian Jews from the Crimea. They soon
fill our aims houses. OF late years the
business of assisting emigrants is prac-
tically at an end. Witness thought
steamship companies encouraged stow
aways to come. for with them steam
ships can be run cheaper. The state
board has been engaged in detecting
and stopping contract labor since last
March. Such labor had been imported
for the Ludlow Manufacturing COM
pany, of Ludlow; Abbott & Co., Forge
Village. The morality among such en-
igrants was low. The average intelli-
gence of immigrants is higher to-day
than fifteen years ago, but greater
proportion require relief because there
is surfeit of laborers. Inciscrim-
mate immigration is more of an evil
than benefit The best way to prevent
the Importation of contract labor is to
impose SO head tax. Of the 47.O62
Immigrants arriving last year, probably
LOCO were under contract labor. About
5000 persons come here every spring
from the lower provinces to work at
fishing and farming and return home in
the fall. Charles A. Concord, inspector
of immigration. described his method of
examining immigrants. The character
OF the immigrants now arriving was
noticeably better than twenty-five years
ago. Charles t. Parsons testified that
Tor some years he had been engaged in
finding
EMPLOYMENT FOR IMMIGRANTS.
Most of the help came from New
York. and some of it through a New
York intelligence agent named Fitzpat-
rick. The compensation of witness
came always from the employers. He
denied the published statements that he
had lodged immigrants brought to his
place at Northampton at public charge.