Speech #620197830

Mr. Chairman. there is another matter in this bill. On page 146. where I find there is an appropriation of $2.500.000 made for the purpose of regulating the ininigration of aliens into the United States. including the enforcement of the contract labor laws. with the other specifications. That matter Is of peculiar interest to the people of my district. I have a district that has three transcontinental lines of railroad running through it. and those three lines of railrcad have been violating the noncontract labor law for years. Last winter. when I was making my campaign. at the town of Syracuse. on the Colorado line. I went through a camp of over 300 Mexican laborers. and when I got up to Garden City I found another gang of over 100 there. The postmaster at Syracuse said that in one day he had sent over $1.600 In good American money back to Mexico. every dollar of which went back to the families of men who came into this country in violation of the contract labor law. Nor is that all. It is a notorious fact in my district that for years these lines of railroad have maintained immigration agents at El Paso and Juarez whose duty it is to go into Mexico and solicit immigrants to come. to the United States under a specific contract of employment for six months. with an agreed rate to be paid. They violate that law every day. You say. Why is not the law enforced? The statute reads as follows: Suc. 5.. That for every violation of any of the provisions of section 4 of this act tile persons. partnership. company. or corporation violating the same. by knowingly assisting. encouraging. or soliciting the migration or importation of any contract laborer into the United States shall forfeit and pay for every such offense the sum of $1.000. which may be sued for and recovered by the United States. or by any person who shall first bring his action therefor in his own name and for his own benefit. including any such alien thus promised labor or service of any kind as oforesaid. as debts of like amount are now recovered in the courts of the United States. and separate suits may be brought for each alien thus promised labor or service of any kind as aforesaid. And It shall be the duty of the district attorney of the proper district to prosecute every such suit when brought. by the United States. That is the penalty. and it is recovered by an action in the nature of an action for damages.