Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-21

The Italians and Arnenians that had
come here in late years and had engaged
in the shoe trade had had bad effect
the trade. They had come here impover-
ished and had not the ambitions and hopes
of the American until he had lived here
for some years. 1t was fact that the
alien labor had broken down the rates of
wages in late years These Italians and
Armenans had defeated strikes and had
readily accepted low wages. Sometimes he
felt that it would be we'll to stop immigra-
ton altogether, but he did not think such
a proposition was practicable He believed
that the stea mship companies had prevent
ed legislation restricting immigration
The manner OF administering the immi-
grafton law as practiced at Ellis Island
n Y, he regarded as a farce. The educa-
tional restriction in immigration he thought
would have very little effect in regulating
the number of people coming here.
Speaking of what he regarded the
farcical administration of the law at Ellis
Island, he said:
Il regard it as a farce when a sweat
shop tailor can so to Ellis Island and swear
that he knows man who is without
money; that he makes $l3 or SIS a week
and can take care of him and have him
admitted, when he never saw him before.
The shoe industry in this country gives
employment to about 213,0o0 persons, with
out including kindred trades, such those
employed in the manufacture of leather.
About per cent of these employees in
labor organizations.
Believes the Boycott Necessary.
Mr.. Eaton believed the boycott was abso-
lutely necessary for organized labor. The
workingman has as good a right to with
hold his patronage as business man has,
but his boycott efforts should stop there.
If the Constitution does not permit short
hour legislation now it should be amended
to permit it. He thought short hours could
national
He believed that local authorities should
be required to employ and support idle
labor and the expense borne by property.
If that were done it would enlist the in
terest of the well-to-do class in those who
suffer poverty He also thought there
should be legislation in respect to prison
labor 50 that conVictS would not be max
ing shoes under better conditions than pre-
vail among free laborers.
Cannot Prevent Trusts.
1T does not seem TO me trusts can be
prevented" said Mr.. Eaton. 1T doesn't
seem to me that agitation on the subject of
trusts will amount to any good. 1t may
affect campaigns and lose WIN an cleo
ton. but l do not see what good will come
from this agitation.
If there is railroad discrimination law he
believed should prevent that but he did
not see how man could be prevented from
selling his property or another man from
buying up and combining several proper
ties.
1T seems to me-" he said, this combi-
nation may continue until there is but one
combination. State socialism is what the
result might ultimately mean"
He saw no reason why the Standard OIL
the sugar industry and other trusts might
not form a general trust of all of them
and then the contention would be between
the people as a whole and one set of cap
italists. He did not want to suggest any
theory rs his own this subject as he
had none. but merely suggested the posi-
bility of such combinations as he had
spoken of.
Mr.. Eaton preferred a state board of arbi-
tratlon to a local board, and he regarded
the Massachusetts board as having consid-
cradle merit.