Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-06

ever be brilliant success, owing to the
difficulty of enforcing it. He does not say
straight that it is flat and ridiculous fail
ure, because he is too smart to say things
that may seem impolitic, but he has way Of
thinking out loud so as to convey
strong expressions without bringing him.
self within set terms. The Senator sug-
gested that the time may not be far distant
when it may be necessary for Congress to
shut down on the great influx of foreign
workingmen, especially those having no
trades, for the protection of our labor.
This, 1 inferred, was his idea of the relief
which was sought to be accomplished by the
contract labor law.
While 1 was at Mr., Chandler's beautiful
summer home in the Warner Valley, under
the shadow of the famed Kearsarge Mount
ain, couple of weeks ago. he let me see
the draft of o very pointed letter he had
written to Secretary Foster on the subject
of bonding in pauper immigrants, which the
Treasury Department has lately gone into
very extensively.
AFTER THE TREASURY DEPARrMENH
The Senator wrote the Secretary that the
department was violating the immigration
laws in accepting such bonds, and was going
beyond its legitimate field in allowing the
practice to grow up without the express au-
thority of Congress. 1 had conveyed to the
Senator some information in this connection
which caused him, in his capacity of Chair
man of the Senate committee and as the
father of the present immigration law, to
send this rafting admonisher to Secretary
Foster.
This is mentioned because it has a direct
bearing upon the labor phase of immi-
grafton. Since April 1, wnen the present
law went into effect, 325 bonds have been
accepted at New York, which let in ], 200
persons who otherwise would have been
sent back as paupers There is not scintilla
of law for the taking of these bonds, though
the department has the backing of two
Attorney Generals, Garland and Miller,
as to the prudence, if not the
legality of the practice. Mr.. Chandler
makes the issue, with his accustomed sharp
ness, that the practice is bad and that the
law is being violated; but the same bond
clerk at the barge office is Kept as busy as
three ordinary men filling out more of these
bonds for signature, and a lot of Polish.
Hebrew exiles and Italians are coming in
Hereunder who, but for their good fortune
in having somebody TO vouch for them,
would not be able to pass the inspection.
SENATOR CHANDLER WILL FIGHT.
These are the elements of a good-sized
rumpus in these proceedings when Congress
shall assemble again, and the pugnacious
New England Senator is the man who will
be likely to start the fun. This is some
thing that organized labor is directly inter-
ested in, 1t should be understood that as
rule the bonded paupers are sent away,
Immediately upon their admission, to dis
tant parts of the country, far beyond the
reach of the immigrant officials at New
York. The bonded persons might there
fore become public charge half dozen
times over, and the officials would never
hear of it; and even if they did, the remote
ness of the cases would make it very trouble
some, if not practically impossible, to ship
the psupers back to New York, saying
nothing of the further trouble of hunting
up and suing the bondsmen for the Gov
ernment's costs, and also saying nothing of
the fact that some very good lawyers think
these bonds are not worth the paper they
are made out on in q court of law.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee
is anxious to hear from people who have
suggestions 10 make for the Improvement
of the contract labor, immigration and
laws. He says legislation on
these subjects must be entirely non-par-
tisan, and he will be happy to receive the
views of people representing all shades Of
politics. 1t is evident that there is to be a
stir in the next Congress on these subjects.
EDISON BRACE