The times., 1899-01-11
fgsss.' F2i:s, 89c.
Lansburgh &Bro
42O, 422, 424, 426 Seventh St.
IMMIGRATION DISCUSSED.
Mr.. Stump's Testimony Before th'
Industrial Commission.

Mr.. Stump's Testimony Before the
Industrial Commission.
Former Commissioner Hermann Stump
vas q witness before the Industrial Com
mission yesterday morning and afternoon.
One CT the features Of his remarks was
his defense Of the policy OF allowing IL
literate but stalwart men TO pass the har-
Dor gates from foreign countries. His
idea was that the educated sons of Amer
lea are fitted for the better walks in life
and do not care to do menial work. Able
bodied men are needed TO be hewers OF
wood and drawers Of wafer, and so far as
their capacity in developing the resources
Of the country go, il is a matter of little
consequence, in his mind whether they
are educated or not He is rather OF the
opinion that il helps TO elevate the real
American citizen TO be thus freed from
the necessity of doing this class of work.
Talking on the subject OF illiteracy fur
ther he called attention TO the fact that
the statistics of the immigration bureau
shcw that the northern nations of Eu
rope furnish n better educGsed class of i'm
migrants. while the ignorance prevalent
among these OF the southern countries is
beyond description. Amcne the Germans
only 70 in 1,0o0 are unable to read
or write. while Portugal sends Il per cent
of untutored people. Italy 81 and Austro
lean population there is a percentage OF
1874 unable 10 read and write. The
prevalence Of ignorance among the negro
population probably accounts for the size
of this percentage.
The commissioner spent some time in
explaining how the padrones make them
selves rich by gathering in the less de-
sirable classes CT Italy, paying their pas
sage over the sea and then selling their
lab in to ions fNfn ind
ard another.
These imported citizens were obligated
before their priests-and Mr.. Stump stated
parenthetically that an Italian will never
go back on his obligation made before a
priest-to repay the man who advanced the
money 10 pay their transportation in labor
and upon their arrival they practically
went into a state Of slavery. As the results
of it the padrones became bankers and
grew rich. That system of servitude has
been broken up by the immigration laws
and by the anti-coHtract laws, but Mr.
Stump has noticed that the same system
is in vogue in a measure among the Syrians
and Persians and other chceOlate-hued peo-
pie from the Far East.
a very interesting feature OF Mr.. Stump's
testimony Was the explanation he gave as
TO the reasons that prompt the Italian gov
ernment 10 actually encourage immigra-
lion from Italy TO This country. In Ru-
dini's time the Italian government mani
tested an anxiety as TO the reasons that
prompted The Government here to send
back so many italian Immigrants The
officials seemed 10 be really glad to hav,
their population leave the land for this
country. When Commission Stump went
into Italy 10 make investigation ther,
was pointed out 10 him here anC
there a little village that was called By thu
native On American village. II had beer
built by Italians Who came 10 this country
accumulated money and took il back Il
Italy for the improvement Of their nativ,
land. They built houses and improved thu
roads with it. Rndini's willingness to hav,
them come here IN groves was then ex,
planned
This morning DR. Harris. of the board o
education. VIII be witness before thi
board. and Mr.. Stump VIII be given anothe
hearing tomorrow