The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-01-05
FITCnIE IS OPPOSED
NEW YORK COMMISSIONER OPPOSES
CONTRACT LABOR LAW

Our Loss More Than Offset BY the
Protection Afforded American La
bor-Immigration Laws Are Not
Strong Enough to Protect Labor.
Thos. Fitchie, Commissioner Of I'M
migration of New York, gives it as his
opinion in his annual report, that the
contract labor law has served to bar
out of this country the most desirable
class of immigrants, and at the same
time made most dangerous enemy in
the labor market of those who arrived
almost penniless and were compelled
to accept employment at any price
they could get. Mr.. Fitchie says:
1T is my earnest conviction that since
the passage of the law large proper
ton of the aliens deported as coming
in violation of the alien contract law
were of the very best class of aliens
coming here.
I further believe that their deporta-
ton was of no benefit to the American
workingman, and, in fact, worked to his
disadvantage, because he was lulled in
to belief of security when, in fact,
his principle danger was the alien COM
ing here without a cent or any means
of livelihood, who was compelled to
take what was offered him or starve,
and was his principle opponent and
most dangerous enemy in the labor
market.
Contract labor is one of the two prin-
ciple causes Of exclusion from landing
the other being that of persons likely
to become public charges from lack of
resources or from physical defects or
mere mental or physical inferiority.'
This report marking the close of the
first ten years of Federal control Of
immi gration. contains much of interest
to the laboring classes. 1t shows that
the total aliens arriving a the port of
New York for the year was 40O,S42
Mr.. Fitchie submits tables showing
the illiteracy Of the races of the people
that arrived. The Portuguese and. Ital-
ians rank about in the same order in
illiteracy. The figures show that the
greater the illiteracy the smaller the
amount of money per capita brought
in. The English, French, and sGerman
people brought close to the same
amount Of money per capita this year,
namely, about $50 each. 49, ..,..z.-. T.
Commissioner Fitchie, continuing
Est,a otMi
lss ssaeI as5,; - l||I|'
previous year. our q ld source 81 nn1i u
grafton, viz, the Scandinavian count Y
ries. the German Empire and the Unit
ed Kingdom, all together contributed
only 9,722 immigrants toward this in
crease. while Great Britain actually
sent us smaller number of immi-
grants than ever before
While Mr.. Fitchie may be right as
regards the effect of the law in keep
ing out of this country the most desir-
able class of immigrants. is not our
loss in this connection more than even
~ offset by the protection afforded our
American Workingmen who would be
displaced by these aliens who come to
| this country and serve under contract
at a lesser wage rate than that paid to
! the American laborer? That the con-
tract system does offer premium to
| immigration. there is no question, but
! should it be understood that if our
laws restricting immigration are repeal
| ed that only the more desirable class
| Of foreigners will land on our shores?
While the repeal of our contract labor
| law might secure for us d greater num-
| Der of the more desirable class of fore
| igners, We are of the opinion that it
would be the means Of not only increas
| ing the influx that is now pouring in.
but that it would bring in q class of
| aborers that under the contract sys-
! tenn would lower the wage rate and di-
vide the wages of our American work
| ingmen and fill our country with
! tramps seeking for employment. We
have in mind a number of instances in
| which Italian laborers We're given en-
ployment to the exclusion of Americans
who were considered LESS desirable,'
solely because the Italians were willing
| to accept an amount for their services
| that the American could not live upon.
| Is such d condition of affairs conducive
| to our social advancement? Yet, this
| is what the repeal of our contract la
Dor law promises for us when we yield
to the inducement that by its repeal
we secure d better class of citizens.
| The foreigner who comes to America
under the present existing state of
our laws. is induced to do so with
the prospect of competing with the
American laborer for American wages.
| 1t is true that circumstances may
compel him to accept service at a
lesser rate than that paid his Amer
! lean brother and thus constitute him
dangerous opponent. but after all he is
| not to be compared to the many who
contract their services before coming
over with d definite promise of employ
ment to the exclusion of our American
| wOrkingmen. We do not assume that
| in each and every instance of the 400
| S42 arrivals at the port of New York,
| that each one came inspired with a per-
sonal determination to compete with
American labor at American prices,
but it is our opinion that such of the
number as did come inspired with this
determination. are of a character whose
citizenship is most desirable. The
greater number,no doubt, were induced
to come through inducements held out
by friends or relatives upon whom they
| will 1nnpD1 to urpl m, 1oSS daorap