The times., 1899-01-13
PIANO S TO RENT.
E. F. DRooP & SONS.
925 PEN,NA. AVE. nos-tf-em
IMMIGRATION AND LABOR.
Hermann stump Appears Before the
Industrial Commission.

At his temperance before the Industrial
Commission yesterday Former Commits
sioner Of Immigration Hermann Stump dis
cussed the effect of the immigration of
skilled and unskilled workmen upon the
labor market here. He said that because
of the greatness of the country and the
extent of the demands for labor these new
forces do not affect appreciably the prices.
The main difficulty is that the unskiiled
laborers remain in masses at the port CEN
tres and congest the labor markets, but
gradually they work their way out into
the places where their service is more in
demand. The labor supply and demand
find their level. like water.
In response to a question by Commits
sioner Smyth. Mr.. Stump suggested that
the establishment of a bureau for the prop
er distribution of labor would solve this
difficulty in large measure. He had said
at previous hearing that at the ports OF
immigration the inspectors make inquiry
of those who come in as TO whether they
have $50 in cash in their pockets or not.
II is necessary, he said, to know that they
have some money TO provide for their
wants. 1t is scarcely permissible TO ask
the full amount of their possessions be-
cause of the fear the newcomers entertain
that IL they reveal a large sum they may
fall prey to sharpers. who are always
hanging around immigration centres. He
had noticed, too. that the Italian immi-
grants who come here on the money ad-
yanced by the padrones always have S25-
never more and never less. He had been
curious to know why this is so and who
provides the money for them, but his curl
osity had never been satisfied. Mr.. Stump
stated that his last report showed as the
result of this $50 inquiry that the immi-
grants had brought $3.Ji1,24 into the
country in 1896, and he estimated that they
really had carried an additional s.. .0OO. .O1C
or 5000. coo, about which the inspectors
were not at liberty to make inquiry.
Commissioner Stump had a great deal
TO say concerning the immigration from
European countries by way of the Can
adian border. II has been the habit, he
said, of the transatlantic companies to
carry steerage workers TO Canadian ports
ana for the Grand Trunk and Canadian
Pacific roads to transport them to Western
points in this country.
He went TO Ottawa and after meeting
some opposition on the part of the news
papers in Canada. succeeded in making ar.
rangements with the transatlantic com
panies for the payment of a head tax
When he afterward discovered that some
immigrants attempted to evade this regu-
lation by stopping in Canada for time
after their arrival and then sliding over
the line into this country he induced the
steamship companies TO agree TO hold
themselves responsible for a head tax for
some months after the arrival of their pas
sengers. and those from whom the inspect
ors found this tax to be fairly due were
answered for by the companies
At the close of his address Mr.. StumT
advised the commissioners not to confound
the question of immigration as ia relates
TO naturalization and franchise with the
question of immigration as it relates tc
labor.
Hermann Schulteis Is expected 10 be Z
witness before the commission this morn
ing.