Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1888-08-31
InmlsE. - Investlsst.oa.


mittee General Master Workman Pow
dery. of the Knights Of Labor, was the
principal witness. On the subject Of inc
ported contract labor, POwderIy said the
System was a reprehensible one. Those
foreigners who come here under such coa-
didons are grossly immoral. They are
brought here under promise OF lands
and great prosperity which they
never realize. Describing the oondi-
ton Of workers IN the Pennsylvania
mines POWderly said that in the coal
regions the native miners have been driven
out OF their employment by Huugarians
and other foreign wOrkingmen. They live
on the cheapest kind OF food, so that
American miners cannot compete with
them. These Hung rians, he said, never
learn the English language, and herd to-
gether until they die or return
20 their native country. They
never became Americanized Powderly
thought no person should be admitted
to citizenship until he was able to read and
understand the Declaration of Independ-
ence and the constitution of the United
Stotes.
In reply to a question from General
SpinOla, Mr. POWderly said that trusts in
tins country are 8 menace to the welfare Of
"a
the interest of u few TO control the output
limit production and smother small aggre-
cations Of capital in some business,
or crush them out entirely. He
had personal knowledge OF coal
trusts, and knew that an Individual con-
Germ could no more ship coal to this city
from Pennsylvania than man could fly.
He thought the strong arm of the law
should be Outstretched to crush out this
evil.
Then you don't agree. said Mr.. Oates,
that trusts are private concerns which
legislators have no right TO coutrol?'
Decidedly not" said Mr. Powderly'
We regard them in the same way that We
Go highwaymen.
'.Ycu think, then, that these trusts are
detrimental to the general interests Of the
country ?'' asked Mr.. SpinOla.
They are, and should be wiped out of
existence as speedily as possible
The next witness was Gregory Weinstein,
a Russian Jew, and sanitary inspector. he
told the committee of the exodus OF people
of his race in 1882, because of the religious
preiudices Ofthe Prussians and Germans.
Since 1881 to the present time, he said l50,-
900 of these people were driven away
and on arriving in this country were
obliged to find work at low wages He
knew of an offer made by a Binghampton
cigar-making firm to furnish homes aud
employment to these emigrants. The Rus
sian Jews were disposed to better their
condition by organization, but when efforts
were made to do so by the United Hebrew
union. now out of existence. the cry of
anarchy WAS raised by the United He
brew charities organization. Many of the
members Of this presumed philanthrOpic
organization, the witness said, are con-
tIOlied merely by mercenary motives.
William Martin, a tinsmlth, testified
past half dozen years has brought the
wages OF tinsmiths down from So so to
Si.75 a day. Witness said he mad read of
gardeners being brought to this country
under ontract by Levi p. Morton.
''Have you any knowledge of this in
your official capacity ?' asked Congress-
man GuentheF.
81 read itin the Star and Journal, - re-
Have you heard it generally dis
cussed ?''
eyes. it was discussed in the central
labor union"
Don't you think said Mr.. Guenther,
''that this was printed in a paper for pOlit-
iCal puTpOses?"
II don't know The men are Knights
Of Labor now, and that is the way the
matter came out"
ct is merely idle gossip, printed by a
partisan paper SO far as you knOw?'' said
Mr.. GuentheE.
Well no; L don't think so, - said Wit
ness, "but L am not convinced Of its truth"
Arthur i. Curtis. a reporter for the STAR
volunteered to tell the committee what he
knew of the importation Of contract labor.
He said: IL learned that a gardener
named Forless was brought to this country
under contract by Levi p. Morton, aud 1
investigated it. Mr.. McCrae, whom met,
told me that his sisters were brought to
this country under contract by Morton to
work as dairy maids. They only
came after receiving a number of letters
and kilograms from Morton and went
to work at his home in Rhinebecz. i
learned Of 3 man named Forbes who
worked as gardener for Mr. Morton, having
come to this country under contract, to re-
ceive $50 or $50 "a month. A few months
ago Forbes learned that he was receiving
only half tie amount paid by other gentle
men. and he told Morton he would work no
longer at those rates. Morton told Forbes
that he (FOrbes) was working under con-
tract, which had not yet expired, aud he
must not leave in violation Of his contract
or he would be prosecuted. Forbes left the
employ, however and in searching for
Othe. employment applied 10 8Ir COWau,
q dealer in seeds In Chamber street ana
this man told MIN that, as he would not
serve out contract he made with Motion
he would have to pay the money he was
indebted to hiIa. Forbes gave the seed
dealer a note for SO, payable in twelve
months made to Morton, and he then vyenr
to work Tor William K. Vanderbilt, as
Islip, L L, where he is now employed
I called on him, and he refused to speak on
the subject. Another gardener named
Boyd, learned from McCrae. was imported
under contract, aud IS still in Morton's em-
plOy."
Witness said his informant on these sub.
Jects was Mr. AIcCr rae. who was formerly
head gardener Tor Morton, bat left his ein-