The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1891-11-21
HOW PAUPERS GET HERE
Startling Story of immigration
Commissioner Schulteis.
IN TIE sTEERAaE IN DISGUISE

The Commissioner Secs Helpless Immi-
grant Eirls Ruined and Learns That
nsssE Faupers Are Assisted to This
Country by Foreign Societies.
NEW YORK, Nov. 17.-One Of the most
extraordinary attempts ever made by the
United States COVER nment to fathom the
mysterious, world wide system under
which the govern nments of Europe are
pouring in hordes Of paupers, imbeciles,
criminals and other elements that are al
ready weakening and blighting the social
structure Of the North Americad CONT.
nent, came TO an unsuccessful end yester-
day when Mr.. Herman J. Schulteis, one Of
the special commissioners sent abroad by
the treasury department to scour Europe
In search Of facts, arrived among the
steerage passengers Of the Cunard steam
ship 6ervia disguised as a pauper, only TO
find, II Is said, that the immigration Of
iciais Of New York, headed by Colonel
Weber, the superintendent, had set their
lass against such a serious attempt to ex-
pose the utter mockery Of the present sys-
tenn Of inspection.
Congress May Take It Up.
When the facts ascertained by Commits
aoner Schulteis in his wanderings through
Europe disguised in the different national
costumes become known there will be a
wave Of indignation throughout the coun-
try. The most vital facts will, of course,
be incorporated in the report which he and
his associates must make privately to the
secretary Of the treasury, after which there
Is no doubt the matter will be taken up by
congress for some definite and stringent
legislation,
The commissioners went to Europe in
July, Mr.. Schulteis reaching England in
company with Commissioners Cross, Pow
/ derly and Kempster. Later on Colonel
Weber Joined them. Before his arrival the
four gentlemen made a particularly thor
Ough search into the system of gathering
paupers, criminals and helpless children
in Great Britain for shipment to America.
They found that while the British govern
ment did not take any part in this work
Of loading down America with the dregs
Of European slums, the scores Of organiza-
tions engaged in the work have such a
Masonic connection with the authorities
a. 30 put 1t beyond doubt that the system
WIS encouraged officially.
Commissioners Kempster and Weber
went to Russia principally to study the
jewish question. The other commissions
ems divided up France, Italy, Holland,
Germany and Belgium between them.
Commissioner Powderly discovered in the
south of France a systematic collection OF
abandoned women for shipment to the
Unlted States.
Disguised as a Dutch Laborer.
Commissioners Schulteis disguised him
self In Holland as Dutch laborer, combed
] n a 49, Iafh hfs
heard grow and wore wooden shoes, sleep.
ing In emigrant houses where committees
gathered destitute candidates for Ameri
can woEkhouses and worming himself into
the secrets Of the system.
He found the facts to be exactly opposite
: to thOse given to the public. He was driven
to the most desperate expedients to avoid
detection, and had actually in one country
to change his disguise behind a cart in th'
, street. In Italy he donned different cos
tume, and found everywhere traces of the
vast army Of agents who are wheedling
deiudlng and seducing the credulous pop
, uIations Of the most ignorant sections o.
Italy, to the misery of the overcrowdet
Italian colonies Of America, and for what
-simply to collect a commission on thI
steamship tickets sold.
! Doceiving the Commissioner.
o Everywhere he found evidences tina
governments, committees, powerful steam
ship lines, railways in Europe and il
q America were all Joined together in on'
J vast secret combination, driving over tn
I ocean whole populations, regardless of Law
Z and the result to the American republic
!. At Naples, while one commissioner stool
4 watching the embarkation of emigrant
t0r America, two other commissioners un
known to the steamship company secretl!
3 regarded the process.
They saw that utterly disqualified per
sons were set aside and rejected in tn
= presence Of the single commissioner an'
y as soon as his back was turned we're hur
S ned on board and sent across to swell tn
: great army in America
d At last they returned to England, ant
. Commissioner Schulteis resumed his serie
Of Hecret trips through the slums of Lon
don, disguised in hobnails and ragge
Clothes. Every emigration society h
visited was willing to aid paupers t
"a America; there was no future for them 4
England.
For instance, Mr.. Schulteis went to MI
wilkins, the secretary of the London Soc
oty for the Prevention of Pauper Allie
st Emigration, and after relating patheti
3 story about his poverty and his utter fai
70 ure TO support himself in England, tha
ID genSlsman gave him letter to another 81
eiety emitting him to free passage to Me-
n York. It was to further explore such hiC
50 den channels that the treasury departmer
sent the present commission to Europe,
., How Paupers Get Here.
IL Sehuelteis told the representative of tn
e, BEitish organisation that he was unab
e. 10 obtain work as he was not in goo
health, and that he would have to go I
the poorhouse. He was referred TO Gel
eral John @. New, United States oonsI
M general, for some recommendation.
- General New refused to give any ii
4 donement to the supposed pauper. In u
h face Of this the society contributed $500
NJ the twenty dollars necessary for the stee
er age passage on the Cunard steamship Sc
. via. The clerks declared that hundreS
4. upon hundreds Of pauperized Russia
10 Jews were passed on from England
n. America upon the Endorsement Of the
le consuls. The whole eff0tt of the sociei
was to prevent such people from getting
lodgment In Great Britain.
IA Schulteis discovered a shocking state
Affairs on the steamer. The intimacy
the employees OF the ship with the helple
immigrant girls grew hour by hour. On
fireman or stoker actually boasted TO Cor
Ia missioner Schulteis OF his conquest over
ot sick girl. Often the poor creatures pa
r. for few mouthfuls Of palatable food ca
~ ned from the employees table by subm
d- ting 70 the most shameful oaresses The
10 seemed 70 be no safeguard for virtue,
ls- pity for innocence. At night carnali
'iaai reigned on the steerage deck.