The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26

their booty. Had it not been for the
kindly intervention of Constable Clarence
Kelton this account might have resolved
itself into an obituary notice. But 1t was
only by relinouishing the sweetmeats into
the hands of the most powerful of the host
that an escape was effected. Alas! for
once strategy had failed. The moment the
sweetmeats had vanished suspicion was
once more rife. Unfriendly looks greeted
the correspondent on every hand. When
kodak was produced and an effort made
to catch shot at picturesque group the
opposition grew bitter. ''U n pesoi Un peso!
No retrato sino un pesow "a dollar! A
dollar No picture unless one dollar y was
the cry on every hand. The half-grown
boys angrily shouted it. The men sneered
it. The women repeated itroguishly and
coquettishly. 1t was only by stealing q
march upon an unconscious group that
couple OF snap shots were effected. Threats
OF destroying the camera were loud and
frequent and close watch had to be kept
upon the instrument after it had effected
its work.
The men were closely questioned by the
local constable who visited the camp, with
from this locality. Under official pressure
they churllshly displayed what they
claimed to be their passports. These con-
sisted of a couple of well-worn documents
pinned together, the first of which read as
follows:
UNITED STATES CONSULATE.
LA GUAIRA, July 8, 1881
l, Thomas D. Golding, United States Vice
Consul at La Guaira, do hereby certify that
Juan Jorge, Brazilian subject, appeared at this
ONCE and produced to me passport from the
Brazilian Consuls of Peru and Caracas, and as
his intention is to go with his family to San
Francisco of California and am in knowledge
that they behaved them well during the time
n T ,nnd thor,
to all to whom this may be presented.
Given under my name and official seal this
9th day of July, 1895. T. D. GoLDING
This document bears the official seal of
the United States Consulate, but IN it's
composition bears evidence of forgery.
Englishman or American, but the compo-
sition and phraseology are plainly those of
man with but scant knowledge of the
English language.
Attached to this is certificate Issued by
the "Consulado-General' de los Estados
Unidos del Brasilen ell Peru Limo Marco
and signed by Alvares, said Consul-Gen-
eral, and witnessed by one Clemente Alva.
rado, notary public. Before this docu-
ment could be copied it was angrily torn
from the correspondents hand by the
owner, who insisted that the copy made of
the former should be destroyed, but the
copy was preserved In the face of his vehe-
When questioned as to their avocation
the men say that they are sugar planta-
rlon laborers and calmly assert that they
are on their way to San Francisco to work on
the sugarcane plantations in that vicinity.
They are under orders to leave Santa Bar
bara tonight, but before sundown heavy
rain set in and the constabulary are in
quandary. 1t is an awkward thing to
threaten to arrest such little army for
vagrancy when the County Jail has not ac-
commodatlons for one-fourth its mum Der.
Meantime the travellers laugh at the law,
for quarters under a comfortable roof and
prison fare would be decided improve
ment upon their accustomed manner of
life. The County Hospital would extend
friendly. arms to the dying boy and his
broken hearted father.
No matter what is done with these beg.
gars in Santa Barbara they must some
how make their way up the coast, drain
Ing their support from the poor farmers
along their route. They have no m cans.
and are a dirty, lawless, dangerous COM
pany, whom it would be a good invest
ment for any community to help away
from its neigh borhood.
But the people of Southern California
have some very pertinent questions to ask,
and before long the people of the interior
valleys will be repeating them. How does
this villainous horde of South American
paupers come to be within the borders of
our State? WHAT is the use of a pauper
immigration law, enforced in San Fran
cisco and New York, if this gate is open on
the southp These people came all the way
overland from Brazil and Peru, by way of
Old Mexico, through Ell Paso to American
territory, across New Mexico and Arizona,
to California. So far they have escaped
any but petty detentions. When they have
spent few weeks or months more journey
ing through the land at the peoples ex-
pense they will be in San Francisco and
ready for deportation. How many more
are already on the way? What sort of
officials have we at Ell Paso that they
should have been permitted to pass?
The passport they exhibit recommends
Brazilian family of five persons. Nearly
100 persons appear to be travelling upon 1t.
What is the matter with our arithmetic
that Santa Barbara should be the first to
call for census of this motley crew.
FLORA H. LoUGHEAD.
vnTTU AMI HmuorU