But did Pennsylvania become a German Province? What part of this country has more steadfastly stood for the dignity and greatness of our land than has Pennsylvania at every period of her history? I pass from the Germans and from this comment upon them to another class of immigrants. Mr. Walker. who has written much on immigration questions. has this to say of the early immigrant. ".the good immigrant." " the desirable immigrant." the immigrant whom the committee would have us believe was not at all like these poor fellows of today. The great majority of immigrants to this country wvere so poor that they could not buy their passage. and In order to meet the obligations incurred by them f or passagemoney and other advances they were sold. after theIr arrival. Into temporary servitude. IS there anything like that going on today? There \vas something a little like itwlhen wve had the contractlabor laws that were put on the books at .the instigation of New England. for which section the Senator from Vermont so eloquently speakts. I read on : Ihe prepaymesut of the passage was the exception. and its subsequent discharge by compulsory labor the rule. The shipowners and ship merchants derired enormous profits from the sale orbodies of immigrants. as they chaged "ery high rates for the passage. to which they added a heavy percentage--often more than a hundred per cent--for their risks. hut the immigrants suffered bitterly from this traffic in human flesh. Old people. widows. and cripples would not sell well. while healthy parents with healthy children and young people of both sexes always found a ready market. These are doubtless the progenitors of some of the.aristocrats of. today.
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immigrants immigration immigrant