The San Francisco call., 1905-05-29
KNOWLAND TALKS
To CARPENTERS
Congressman Tells Union
Men About What the Gov
ernment Is Doing for Them
EVILS OF IMMIGRATION
Just as Much Danger From
Europe as From the Hordes
From Trans-Pacific Shores

OAKLAND, May 2S.-Congressman j.
r. knowland of this district tonight de-
livered one of the series of lectures that
has been arranged by Carpenters Union
No. sc. Ministers, politicians, statesmen
and business men have been invited to
deliver addresses upon labor topics, and
Mr.. knowland tonight told about the
Government ana labor. He said in part:
Nearly seven years experience in public life
has impressed upon me the desirability of COM
ing in frequent contact with the people and
occasions such this afford the opportunity.
BY association We learn that. after ALL we are
working with the same objects in view. al
though honest differences may exist as to
methods. In these days of enlightenment nc
public official, II insincere. can deceive the
to be straightforward keeping in touch with
his constituency even though perhaps lacking
in ability. there is disposition to lend him
encouragement. Honesty IN public life is Just
as essential as honesty In business lfe
California. and in fact the whole PACING
Representatives. From the coast, including
California. Oregon, Washington. Nevada Idaho
and Montana we have but sixteen Congress
men. New York alone has thirty-sev Penn
syivania thirty two Illinois thiFty-fye and
Ohio twenty-one. l call this to your particular
attention that You may understand the dif-
hculties your congressional delegation Will en-
counter In its efforts to obtain legislation 10
prevent the unrestricted immigration of Japa-
nese. This Is a vital question to the working
men of California. because they are the direct
sufferers from the competition of Japanese
cheap labor. But we must bear in mind that
California has but eight representatives in the
House, a small fraction of three hundred and
eightysix Many of the members are from
states where japanese is seldom seen In
no State in the Union. outside of California,
and perhaps Oregon and Washington does the
japanese question yet present serious aspect,
but this condition does not lessen. in the slight
est degree. the seriousness Of the evil in Cali
fornia and the other coast States. The South,
according to reports from Washington, is com :
nl9iDtnR nj a n c0n6l-
tion will make it more difficult to obtain con-
gressonal action. 1t will only be a question of
time. however. unless immediate action Is
taken. that the workingmen of other States
will find the problem brought to their doors
To my mind the immigration arriving on the
Atlantic Coast is almost as serious q menace
to the American workingman as the influx of
Japanese on this coast We are told that the
present year will break all records Thousands
landing daily. This is one of the most
serious problems with which Congress must
deal. l am in favor of the enactment OF the
most stringent immigration laws. This ques-
tion must receive immediate attention:
The Department of Commerce and Labor.
presided over by my distinguished predecessor:
while the latest department to be established
is by means the least important. general
idea of the field allotted to this department. can
be gained by the following list OF bureaus
under its control: Census corporations fish
cries immigration labor. manufactures. navi-
cation. standards and statistics. The Coast
and Geodetic Survey the Lighthouse Board and
the Steamboat Inspection Service are also in
this department. resume of the functions
OF some or the most important bureaus may
be of interest
The Bureau of Corporations is authorized to
investigate the organization. conduct and man
agement of the business of any corporation.
joint stock company corporate combination
engaged in the interstate foreign COM
merce except common carriers subject to the
interstate commerce act. The Commissioner
of Corporations is given the power to subpoena
and compel the attendance OF witnesses and
the production of documentary evidence and
to administer oaths
The Bureau of Labor is to acquire and
diffuse among the people of the
United States useful information on
subjects connected with labor in the
most general and comprehensive sense of the
word, and especially in it's relations to capital.
the hours of labor the earnings of laboring
men and women and the means of promoting
their material social intellectual and moral
prosperity 1t collects and publishes a series
of elaborate statistical Investigations on vart-
Gus questions connected with Industrial labor.
The bureau has reputation for tmpartfality
and accuracy in It's Investigations
The Bureau of Immigration is charged with
the administration of the laws relating to i'm
migration and the Chinese exclusion laws. 1t
investigates violations of the immigration and
alien contract-labor laws. The records or this
bureau are of great value