The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-07-26
IMMIGRATION
PROVISIONS
Industrial Commission Investigat-
ing Their Workings.
PADRoNB SYSTEM STILL EXISTS.

tion. who Urges Amendments TO tho
Present Laws.
New York, July 26.-In the hearing
of the subcommittee OF the United
States Industrial commission which is
inquiring into the working Of the i'm
migration laws yesterday the exam
ination of Assistant Commissioner OF
Immigration Edward +. McSweeney
was resumed. Chairman Ellison A.
Smyth questioned the witness regard
ing the existence Of the padrone sys-
tenn in this country.
"If by the padrone system" said Mr..
McSweeney, 'is meant that immi-
grants are controlled by certain bank
ers after they come here; that the
commissariat is regulated by these
men; that the money Of the immigrant
is sent back to Italy by these bankers
If that is what we consider the padrone
system, il still exists. The system
reputed to have obtained years ago,
whereby the bankers induced these
men to come here, | do not think any
longer exists. because there is no need
for 1t. They now come of their own
accord. Before they come they know
that by going to a certain banker they
will find employment. My impression
is that the Italian immigrants prefer
to be under the control of the pa
drone."
what other races besides the Ital-
ians and Orientals are held in indus
trial bondage?" asked the chairman.
There was a species of labor selling
prevalent in New York for a long
time, but l believe it was suppressed
under Commissioners SenneT and
Fitchie. There were Austrian girls who
were taken into families and kept there
at nominal wages for years"
Mr.. McSweeney said that while the
girls we're not brought here for i'm
moral purposes, many of them became
outcasts owing to their harsh treat
ment. He said that many such girls
were living in New York, according
to the police.
Mr. McSweeney was questioned at
length in regard to Mormon immigra-
tion. He said that probably 95 per
cent of the new arrivals we're women.
They all come over in charge of an
elder. They all claim to be Latter Day
Saints, and declare, with a great deal
of force, that they intend to obey the
laws of the United States.
Mr.. McSweeney said that probably
65 per cent of all the new arrivals had
their passages prepaid by friends or
relatives in this country.
What records have you in regard
to Canadian immigration"
1T has been estimated that from
$4,000 to 10000 come here every year,
and many of them find their way as far
south as New Orleans, where they
work as longshoremen and return
each year"
Gustav Fl. Schwab, one Of the agents
of the North German Steamship COM
pany, who was sworn, said he believed
the immigration laws were intelligent
ly and carefully executed. Mr.. Schvrab
spoke of the educational test and said
he thought it unwise to keep out the
Drawn and muscle which is needed for
the development of the country, and de.
clared the present laws ample to pro-
tect the country. He believed the i'm
migrants coming here now are abso-
lutely needed. Mr.. Schwab opposed the
doubling of the head tax, or making
it So or $40 for each new arrival, which
would be prohibitory. Mr.. Schwab
said the proposed consular inspections
| abroad would be not only failure, but
a farce.
Robert Floyd, representing the Cum
ard line, said he agreed with everything
which Mr.. Schwab had said. The pas
sengers of his company, he said, were
drawn mostly from Great Britain and
! Ireland and Scandinavia. He said his
company would not be a party to any
attempt to evade the immigration law
He believed the present laws adequate
j. Ter-Kuile, the agent of the Fabre
line, said his company brought in
about 1900 immigrants last year
nearly all of whom were Italians
From one-third to two-fifths of these
had their fares prepaid in this coun'
try. Mr.. Kuile said that to his knowl
edge the evils Of the padrone system
| had been wiped out.
Arthur Lederer, passenger manage
Of the American Red Star line, said hi
| company last year brought 5000 pas
sengers in the steerage. OF these A
| per cent were prepaid.
| Mr.. McSweeney, recalled, gave som
information regarding the sweating
| system. He said that one-third of tn
whole number Of immigrants who hay
| come to this country arrived betweel
| the years 1880 and 1890, when the in
fiuence of foreign immigrants began Il
have an influence on trade workers
In 1885 the Hebrews controlled tn
sweating" trade. They were super
seded by the Italians, and they hav
now been replaced by the Greeks.
Mr.. McSweeney said that applica
tions for 10000 unskilled workmen hat
been made upon the immigration au
thorities since the revival of bushes
last spring, but these they could no
and had no authority to furnish.
Mr.. McSweeney offered a number Q
suggestions of amendments to tn
present immigration laws, among theI
the following:
That the immigrant should declar
whether he intended to become a cit
izen of the United States; that prost
tutes be barred out; that the commits
sioner general of immigration be give
power to eXpend the over fund T,
ceived at this port at the stations
Boston and other ports where the II
come is smaller, and that false test
mony given before the boards of spe
| fal iuouirV ehnuld ha uunfohad aa ~