Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1888-08-02
IMMIGRANTS sWlNpLrp.

Facts Coming Out as 10 Excessive ItaiiAn
immigration and How ImniKrants are
iiobbed by Contractors,
NxA 'ypRK, Jnlv " aT-torsressmaa
Oates, OF Alabama, was with tile House
immigration Committee yesterday. John
G. Curtis, who had charge Of the steerage
business Of the Cunard line, was the first
witness. The line paid agents - head
commission. IL had six or eight agents
here. Their yearly importatious were az
followsi 1881 II, 1851 1884, e,is7l 1ssS, No..
p0s; 1855, tB,66l 1881, i1,1eg, and for af
ihonths 81 the present year, gi,igi. The
company employed ali hiehns required by
law TO prevent the landing Of contract
laborers. Last year the company sold
400 prepaid tickets. Ten tickets was the
limit Of a purchaser at one time. Witness
did not know Of any pool existing between
steamship companies 20 control rates.
Physicians under the Eng sh Government,
who Inspected passengers about % come
here by his line, confined their labors to
finding out II any person was afflicted
with contagious disease. He did not
think they bothered themselves about
lame or servile passengers, The object Of
ihs search wds tc protect M sailirs iudet
the English flag.
The Italian Vice Consul, Attillio Monaco,
stated that in his official capacity no had
authority from his Government to furnish
money 10 send back any paupers or dis
abled Italians. There was no limit placed
on tho amount he should expend, but 10
was left entirely TO his own Judgment.
About 20 per cent. Of the Italians COM
ing over here were farmers; 30 per cent
skilled laborers, and the balance day
laborers. He had about a month ago rs.
oeived $1,000 from his Government to bs
distributed among the poor Italians hers
This money was sent TO the Consulate by
Baron Fava, the Italian Mlnster, acting
thder Instructions from the Home Gover1-
ment, and the money was turned over 70
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 10 their agents there 10 secure a cer-
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
81 TO S25 interest for advancing the pas
sage money. The men, when they arrive
hN'Nf NNAN NhAAANAN ~ AhN ihtANN VI Auo
contractors who as a rule. kept saloons on
Mulberry street They would put the men
10 work and all the money for their labor
was paid direct % tie contractors
WHO would hold il 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 70 the enforcement Of the Contract
Labor law. As rule these contractors
Kept bank, saloon, "a labor bureau and
ticket Office all in one. The Italian peo-
pie were very saving and deposited theit
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 10 5000 had ap-
piled 20 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 aud the
men themselves paid commissions 70 these
labor agents.
Robert Mario, the founder and manager
Of the society, explained that "bosses,D
who hired Italians through labor bureaus,
usually made the men rent shanties and
BUY their food and clothing at stores kept
~ the bosses, and he had known Of cases
where when the men had bought at other
han the company stores the value of
he articles so purchased was deducted
rom their pay and allowed TO the
'osses. Italian bankers here had agents
m the other side who scour the country to
induce people TO come over here. Thou
Inds Of emigrants had told him that they
we're told ON the other side they could get
'robtable employment here as soon as
hey landed. Thousands remained hero
Who would gladly go back home II they
lad money enough to pay their passage.
{ was wrong idea that Italians would
work cheaper than any one else; they al
ways wanted the best wages that were
aid