New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-05-15
SPOTLING THE ALIEN.

The general and hearty approval given TO The
Tribune's efforts to stop the sale of fraudulent
steamship tickets to aliens here who wish to
prepay the passage TO this country Of friends
or relatives abroad indicates that public Opin-
ion will be sufficiently aroused to insure the
adoption of remedial legislation at Albany.
Frauds of the class 10 which we called atten-
ton have been perpetrated on the poor and
ignorant and because of the helpleSsnesS OF
the victims have gone for the most part unde-
tected and unpublished. The expansion of the
alien colony system in this city has made ii
easy for swindlers to prey on new arrivals of
their race, nationality or language for the
newcomers naturally look TO agencies managed
by men of their own tongue for protection and
employment When wronEed they are either
unable or afraid to appeal TO the criminal au-
thorties. They take their losses in a spirit of
fatasm. or else try-as in the case of the
ItaIians-to pay their scores with Il pistol or
a stiletto. There can he no question that the
complaints noticed in The Tribune on Monday
represent a scandalOus sum total of bogus
ticket sales and other eXtOrtOnate transactions.
The Wells bill which passed the Assembly
and is pending in the Senate, is a com
mendsbe attempt TO protect the ignorant alien
from exploitation by mis- designing brethren.
1t prohibits the sale by brokers here of any
other than registered and authorized storage
tickets. If a broker IS not the authorized
agent of a company, he must get the signature
of an official Of that company to any transpor-
tation order sent abroad and presumably good
for the trip 10 this country. At present agents
sell orders OF their own not directed TO any
specified steamship company and in many cases
worth no more than the paper they are printed
on. 1t is impossible, apparently, TO confine the
business of selling tickets TO the steamship
Oip hpir for Ia
some time ago wiping out the unauthorized
broker was declared invalid by the courts be
cause 1t restricted freedom of commerce. But
1t be hardship TO compel brokers deal
ing In passage orders 10 show that they are
dealing in genuine passage orders and not In
counterfeits. Another bill, introduced by Mr..
Wells and Just signed by Governor Hughes,
compels the private banks which deal in steam
ship tickets, and with which the curb or itin-
Grant brokers are generally allied, 10 furnish
bonds to the amount of $4,000 each. This IS
a step in the right direction, for it prevents
the sudden failure" of institutions 10 which
the alien colonies intrust their savings and
through which they conduct so much of their
general business. The colony private bank Is
q peculiar enterprise and needs 10 be subjected
TO greater scrutiny than has hitherto been given
TO it.
The federal government, through Secretary
Straus, has expressed a lively interest in the
exposure OF the ticket order frauds. 1t can do
nothing directly to help check the evil but It
would heartily welcome the uprootng of a
practice which not only encourages fraud, but
which, now pursued, tends TO an artificial
stimulation of immigration. Little desirable
material for citizenship is likely 10 be offered
In the persons Of immigrants whose arrival
here is due only to the activities Of the local
ticket drummer selling passage orders on the
long time instalment plan.