Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-12-17
SLAVES ON OCEAN ISLANDS.
r,. Naxassa Incident Urges LegtsiatAon
rrs-S.al, lila tn Labor Interests.

The NRvRRsa InC1denC OESo0
Favorable to Labor Interests
,s,ond of Navassa in the West Indian
group, has, under the provisions OF llle ., %
tho Revised Statutes, been recognized by the
President as appertaining to the Unlteu Sta No
It contains guano deposits, Is owned W sn roiag
yassa Phosphate Company, ana occ eIo Seyoit
nv its employees In september Aoo9, 800 -
tooE mace among these laborers, resulting III
the killing of some of the agents OF 1 l 49,
pany caused as the laborers clainso, ~ tried
treatment These men were arrested anu 49, s
~ no tinted States court at Baltimore, under
Section $3.50 of the statute referred 10, as - to
offenses had been committed on oou ,ha hisb
chant vessel of the United states on thS nlsn
seas There appeared on the trlai' anu o.not t
wise came to me, such evidence OF tne pau 't TO-
ment of the men that In consideration % onoss to
and of the fact That the men nao no aCceSa , W w
any public officer or tribunal for protectlon ortne
redress of their wrongs, l commuted the u .
sentences that had been passed Dy tne ttentian
on three of them. In April last my atten'lon
was again called to this island ana 70 .hI 49,
regulated condition of things there, by le't t
from colored laporer. who claimed tha' IL. he
was wrongflIly detained upon the island by tne
phosphate company after the expiration o! ms
contract of service. naval vessel was sem sem
man and generally into the condition
of things on the island. 1t was found tnat tne
laborer referred to had been detained peyono
the contract limit, and that condltlon OF re-
volt again existed among the laborers.
board of naval officers reported among ot tta
things, as follows: 1--WE would desire 10 s'u.e
island seems to be that of Il convict establish,
ment, without its comforts and cleanliness anu
that, until more attention Is pald 70 tHe sn.p
ping of laborers, by placing 1T under govern
ment supervision to prevent mlsunderslai iuins
and msre presentation and until sone alnellora-
ton is shown in the treatment Of the laporerS;
these disorders will be of constant occurrence.
recommend legislation that shall place LABOR
contracts upon this snd other islands having
the relation that Navassa has to the Unlted
States under the supervision of court csmmlsc
sioner and that shall provide, at the expense ol
the owners, officer TO reside upon the lslanus'
with power to judge and adjust disputes ana 10
force a Just and humane treatment OF the
employees. 1t is inexcusaele that American
laborers should be left within our own Jurlsdlc-
ton without access to any government officer or
tribunal for their protection and the redress OF
their wrongs. J.,
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