The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-07-29
TIE IMMIGRATION INQUIRY.
A Correspondent of a German Newspaper Fur
nishes the Committee with Information.

NEW YORK. July 2s.-The four Coneressmsn
who are investigating the emigration affairs OF
the country resumed their labors this morning.
Paul Wolf, Washington correspondent of the
New York Stats Zeitung, was the first witness
called. He stated that some three years ago he
was informed that there were several societies
in Germany. and especially Bavaria, formed for
the purpose or sending discharged criminals to
this country. The witness laid his information
before Assistant Secretary Of State Por-
ter, and that gentleman wrote to
the subject, who replied. in Decsmbsr,
1885, thas there were no such societies. The
witness read extracts from reports Of one OF
those societies, showing that IN 1883 twenty
seven discharged convincts were sent TO this
country by these societies. The report says
that the worse the men are and the larger fami-
lies they have the better fitted they are to be
sent TO America. The witness says these socie-
ties are not government Affairs, but that the
royal counselor Bauer Is president and Prince
Regent Luitpold honorary president Of this
society. In 1886 their report Is more cautiously
worded, but i: shows that out of Is. 200 marks
expended. nearly half was used to assist emf
gratis to come to this country.
At this point Mayor Hewitt interrupted the
proceedings to shake hands with the members
OF the and urge upon them an invita-
ton to spend Sunday with him at his country
seat. When he left the exsmibation proceeded.
The witness had no statistics for the year
1887, but said that he knew of cases occurring
this year. About two months ago. he said, two
men came over on the Saaie, but were cent back
from Castle Garden. The American consul at
Munich learned OF their being sent and cabled
over to the Castle Garden authorities. The
witness believes that they were sert back to
Hamburg and from there to England,
from where they came over to this country
again under assumed names. He said that these
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tickets to whatever place in this country they
select, and give each 100 marks over and above
that. The witness said OF German emigration
that DR.. Becker, director OF the Bureau OF Sta
tlstlcs In Berlin, estimates that the average loss
per head to the German government through
emigration is 800 marks, and estimates that. on
the average, each man brings with him S87.50 in
cash. The witness had made a careful study Of
the emigration question. He said that forced
emigration first occurred to any extent some
twelve or fifteen years ago, during the
Fall River strikes. when great numbers OF
Swedes were brought over. The Swedes, he
said, are considered the cheapest labor OF
northern Europe. The labor market in this
country, he argued, is only overcrowded be-
cause the emigrants flock 10 the cities. The
class of emigrauts who have come over here
from Germany lately. he said. is much better
than In former years. More farmers are coming
over. They come here with money, and go
West and engage in agricultural pursuits. The
emigration Of southern Europe Is, 10 his opinion,
mostly of a forced character, and induced by
false representations This class comes largely
from the rural parts of Italy, and is forced TO re-
main In the large cities, because the people have
no money to go TO Western points. The
Witness proposed a system OF examining all
emierants at the point Of embarkation and fur
nishiug them with credentials guaranteeing
that they do not come under any of the prohib-
itory laws of our country; then he suggests that
NO one should be allowed TO land here who is
not provided with satisfactory credentials Of
this kind.
At IL o'clock the committee ran out Of wit.
nesses. Special Deputy Sergeant Ivone had Sc
cured a number OF Italians to testify at to-day's
session. and while the last witness was testify
ing he left them standing huddled together at
the corner of Sixteenth street. near the West
minister Hotel. They took advantage of the re-
lease from his surveillance TO run away and the
committee was forced to take a recess.