The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-06-03
CONTRACT LABOR LAW
And the Failure to Prosecute the
Offenders for Violations
is THE SUBJECT OF THE INQUIRY.
BY tho Senate Committee in New
York = Inspector Thobe Says the
Law is of Little Use-HOw 1t Is
Eyaded = Competent Interpreters
Should bc Provided ut Ellis Island.
Meyer Isaac Drops Hint-Russian
Christians Get q Black Eye.

NEW YoRK, June 2.-The state COM
mittee on immigration resumed their
investigation to-day, Senator Hill pre-
siding,
The inquiry related to the alleged
violations OF the contractla labor lawand
the failure to prosecute offenders under
the law by the proper officers OF New
York, New Jersey and Philadelphia.
u. II. Thobe, an immigrant inspector,
took the stand. He started in to testi-
iy without being sworn, When his at
tention was called to the fact, he said:
~ am Kentuckian, and Kentuckiana
always tell tho truth" He took the
oath, however.
Tho witness, after explaining that he
came from the same town in Kentucky
as Secretary Carlisle, and that he once
ran against tho secretary for Congress
;as tie workingman's candidate, said
that many immigrants had told him
that they had come to this country by
the aldo Baron Hirsch's fund,
II know Col. Weber went from the
immigration department into the em-
ploy Of the Hirsch fund.-" said the wit
ness, "but / do not know any reason
for it"
Witness said that during tho past
year comparatively few contract labor
ers had been returned. Continuing
the witness said "If the immigrant
has ordinary intelligence he can easily
evade the law. The law is OF little use.
A great many immigrants come hero in
the summer to work and return in the
fall. They take home their earnings
and come back the next spring with al
most nothing"
Frank Gebilso, a banker, was then
called. He said that to make sure Of
having employment when they arrived
some Of the Italians made arrangements
for work before they started for this
country. This was generally done
through bankers. Bankers frequently
tax laborers as high us S25 head to
get them work in the street cleaning
department and other lines of work.
The trouble arising from contradictory
aifidavits made by the same person he
saidcotld be obviated by the presence
of competent Italian interpreters at
Ellis Island.
"But," said Senator Hill. "isn'tit inn
possible forthe interpreter oftheahops
10 separate the conyicts and the con
tractlaborers. and.the honest laborers"
"Yes," Vas Atho reply, Hbut II he
works for theinterest OF the steamship
company that is different thing. They
don't want to send any immigrants
back"
Meyer 8. Isaacs thenstogk thestand.
Heis president OF the Baron Hirbch'as
tupd. mot dollar OF this money"
said the witness, "has beens spent in
aiding immigrants to come to this
country"
Colonel Weber.was then questioned.
Colonel Weber told OF visit he had
made to Russia He gave the Russian
Christian q black eye. "God, forbid
that they como to this country, he
said. "Fhey are Ignorant and
don't even know enough 10 emigrate."
HisresearChes, he said, had proved
to him that the English speaking i'm
migrants iurnishedla "a larger proportion
OF criminals and paupers than the non
English speaking immigrants.