New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-16
CONTRACT LABORERS GET IN
MORE INTERPRETERS NEEDED, IT IS SAID
THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW FREQUENTLY EvADED,
THE LETTER SELDOM.

THE LETTER SELDOM.
The Congress immigration Committee spent the
,rcater part Of their time yesterday III
ycstsating the operations OF the Alien On
tract Labor law. The three princpai VII
.'"sS oxamined were Emigration Commissioner
stenbcn.on. William Connolly. manager of the Caatc
ca,,-, Labor Bureau, and J. f. Mholand one OF the
49, .. mont insnectOrs for the enforcement OF the
-, ri law Before beginning tho work OF the
H., fhc committee decided to go TO Boston tomorrow
and investigate the subject OF the advertisement now
running In the London papers, for aborcrs to WORK
for the NcwEngland stonccuter who are at war with
the labor unions.
Mr. Stephenson docs not think much OF the Con
tract Labor law. The last clause permitting immi-
grants to assist relatives and friends to come here
he told the committee practically made the law it;lf
Ineffective lie gave some instances Of the Italian
padiones methods and then branched of on his
favoritc theme abusing Bernard Biglin. lie sub
mted an alleged affidavit Of a man who declared that
lie had been uniustly treated by Mr.. BisNn's en-
ployes Mr. Belin says the charge is false, and
that he will co on the stand himself and show tho
nilmus Of the Commissioner as we'll as meet these
allegations against him. Mr.. stephenson. he adds,
is irving to prevent him from getting the baggage
contract with tho Government
Mr. Connolly denied the allegations made by Com
missioner stephenson and others against the manage
mcnt of the Bureau that it ever had been used
AGAINST American strikers or fOr other improper pur
noscs The state Commissioners, the witness con.
tinucd, had frequently INSTRUCTED the work Of the
Bureau and tried to get it removed from the Garden
lie criticised the way In which the commissioner, and
their employees treated the immigrants. declaring la'
il was brutal at times lie charged Mr.. stephenson
with preventing the representative OK the National
stonecutters' Union. who had come TO detect violations
Of the Contract law, from doing so, by pnttng him
out Of Castle Garden In closing, Mr. Connolly thought
that the present laws were sufficiently restrictive II
properly enforced.
After recess, Mr.. Milhoand was examined. There
we're four Government inspectors here. he said. Will
, lam H. Groean Peter Taylor, Mahlon Chance and him.
self They we're appointed directly by the secretary
Of the Treasury but reported all cases to the Col
lcctor for decision. All OF the inspectors received
- a day, except Mr.. Chance who got III Their
duties as the witness explained, were 10 report all
case, of violation of tho Contract law at Castle Gar.
den or elsewhere. Some Of them. and sometimes all
Of them. we're at the Garden when ships
arrived but any Of them liable
tn he sent off to distant points By
the Department. They had no prescribed hours Of
attendance at tho Garden, the arrival Of ships was
uncertain. sometime, late and sometimes early Tho
Board not properly supplied with interpreters hay
ing only :, swedish and a German Interpreter az
present.
In rsgad to the charges Of wholesale violations of tho
law and thousands Of contract laborArs coming here
the witness said a word Of explanation wa, necessary.
Il was true that great many came who violated ne
shirt Of the law but comparatively few -" letter 81
IT, The mere enactment Of the Law had bad sanitary
effect and kept thousands Of contract laborera from
coming here. But the great the Overwhelming ma
lority Of lahorcs who in this WAY did not come
Under the law and could not he held. evidence IN
support II this statement was "Hc.ed ot the hundred
examined only few could he held. and perhaps not
more than SEVENTY i've or a hundred had been sent
hack during the last nine months .
Tie " ness estimated that from 20 u % per ccns
~ the immigration was assisted and laret part Of
tIi, was contract labor. In reply to,an invitation for
.u- 20 lions for amendment, 10 the law. he ufs'l
United states Consular examination 10 reasonable
extent the holding Of the steamship company To "a
moro strict account the employment OF competent
interpreters the more careful Inspection 81 incoming
steamer, and cooperation on the part OF LABOR or
CARNATIONS, -.,.,. -. a,,.
lttIdcn.