ACT OF 1895.

[Connecticut Public Acts, 1895, Chapter CCXCV, p. 638.]

AN ACT Concerning Italian and other alien laborers.

Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives in general assembly convened:

SEC. 1. The commissioner of the bureau of labor statistics is hereby authorized to appoint some competent person or persons, familiar with the language of Italian, Polish, or other alien laborers, as special agents of the bureau, whose duty it shall be to inform said laborers, either personally or through printed matter in their language, as to their right of contract under the laws of the State, and to prevent, as far as possible, any illegal advantage being taken of said laborers by reason of their ignorance, credulity, or want of knowledge of the English language.

SEC. 2. The appointment of said special agents shall not be permanent, but simply to meet the exigencies of each case as presented to the commissioner, and they shall be paid a similar per diem compensation to that paid to other agents of the bureau, the total per diem expense in any one year not to exceed three hundred dollars.

SEC. 3. Any person who shall obtain or receive money due Italian, Polish, or other foreign laborers, ignorant of the English language, and shall retain any part thereof for his own use without giving adequate consideration therefor, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, or imprisonment for one year, or both.

Approved, July 4, 1895.

DELAWARE.

DIGEST OF IMMIGRATION AND ALIEN LAWS.

Code of 1852 and 1893 (titles to real property).-Aliens may hold and transmit real property after declaration of intention to become a citizen. The act is retrospective and relates back to 1811. Purchases prior to 1829 are valid. Personal property of aliens pass just as that of citizens. Grants to aliens prior to 1805 are good, and deeds made by aliens are good.

Act of 1879-1881 (an act to encourage immigration to the State).— The act of 1879-1881 provides that certain marsh lands assessed at not exceeding $2 an acre may be exempted from taxation for 10 years when settled by 10 or more families.

Act of 1879-1881 (an act in relation to titles of real property).— The act of 1879-1881 confirms the titles made to or by aliens prior to 1879. Conveyances made by the widow or children of an alien shall be valid.

Act of 1881 (an act in relation to estates of aliens and to complete their titles to the same).-Conveyances to and by aliens made prior to 1897 are made valid. Title of widow or child of alien made prior to 1879 is valid.

Act of 1883 (an act for the encouragement of immigration and to foster the agricultural interests of the State).-The act of 1883 empowers the governor to appoint a board of immigration, consisting of three commissioners for terms of two years. Expenses, but no compensation, shall be allowed. It shall be the duty of the commissioners to advertise in periodicals, distribute special publications, and utilize any other effective means to induce desirable immigration. But they shall also exercise due care to prevent the importation into the State of any person who might endanger the public morals, health, peace, or good order of its citizens. They shall publish pamphlets containing data relative to all resources and advantages. They shall make special arrangements with transportation companies. They shall encourage the formation of local agricultural societies for the procuring of foreign labor, and shall appoint agents or otherwise direct, invite, and encourage immigration.

Acts of 1885, 1893, 1905, 1909.-Acts were passed in 1885, 1893, 1905, and 1909 to the same general effect in relation to the estate of aliens and in completion of their titles.

Act of 1907 (an act for the encouragement of immigration and to foster the agricultural interests of the State).-The act of 1907 constitutes the members of the state board of agriculture a board of immigration commissioners, of which the governor shall be ex officio member. The general duties, powers, and provisions are parallel with those prescribed by the act of 1883.

IMMIGRATION AND ALIEN LAWS.

EXTRACTS FROM REVISED CODE.

[Laws of Delaware, Revised Code, 1852, as amended, etc., 1893, title 12, Ch. LXXXI, p. 617.]

SECTION 1. An alien residing in this State, and having made declaration according to law of his intention to become a citizen of the United States, shall be capable of taking by deed or will lands, tenements, and hereditaments in fee simple or for other estate, and of holding and of aliening the same; and upon the decease of an alien having title or right by purchase or descent according to this act to any lands, tenements, or hereditaments in fee simple, intestate as to such lands, tenements, or hereditaments, the same shall descend and pass in the same manner as if said alien were a citizen of the United States; and it shall be no objection to the kindred, husband, or widow of such alien, or of any citizen deceased, taking lands, tenements, or hereditaments by virtue of the intestate law of this State that they are aliens if they at the time of the death of the intestate reside within the limits of the United States; and any such kindred, being aliens and not residing within the limits of the United States at the time of the intestate's death, shall be passed by, and the effect shall be the same as if they were dead.

SEC. 2. The foregoing section shall have a retrospective operation, and shall relate to the 22d day of January, in the year of our Lord 1811, and shall have the same effect as if enacted on that day.

SEC. 3. All purchases, conveyances, and devises made before the 26th day of January, A. D. 1829, to or by an alien residing at the time in this State of lands, tenements, or hereditaments shall be as valid and the property shall pass and be held as if such alien had been a citizen. But no right vested in any person shall be divested or prejudiced by this section.

SEC. 4. When a title to real estate is claimed by descent by a person capable at the time of the descent of inheriting, it shall be no bar or interruption of such descent that the father, mother, or other ancestor, through whom the descent is derived, was an alien.

SEC. 5. The personal estate of an alien deceased intestate residing in this State at the time of his death shall be distributed in the same manner as if he were a citizen, and it shall be no objection to the husband, widow, or kindred of an alien or other intestate taking distributive shares of the deceased's personal estate that they are aliens.

SEC. 6. All gifts, grants, bargains, sales, conveyances, and devises of any lands, tenements, and hereditaments within this State made before the 23d day of January, A. D. 1805, to any person or persons, who at the time of making the same was or were an alien or aliens shall be good and effectual, and shall be construed and taken to be good and effectual, to vest in the grantee, or grantees, bargainee or bargainees, devisee or devisees, such estate and interest, and as good a right and title in and to the same as he or they could have taken by the same gift, grant, bargain, sale, conveyance, or devise if he or they had been legally naturalized at the time of making the same; and all deeds and conveyances made of any lands, tenements, and

hereditaments within this State by any such alien or aliens, or his or their legal representatives, or by virtue of any legal process directed to the sheriff or coroner, shall be as good and effectual, and shall be construed and taken to be as good and effectual to vest in the grantee or grantees, bargainee or bargainees, devisee or devisees, such estate and as good a right and title in and to the same lands, tenements, and hereditaments as such grantee, bargainee, or devisee could have taken by the same if the grantor, bargainor, or devisor had been legally naturalized at the time of making such grant, bargain, sale, conveyance, or devise last mentioned.

ACT OF 1879.

[Delaware Laws, pts. 1-2, 1879-1881, title 12, ch. 127, p. 189.]

AN ACT In relation to the estates of aliens.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the State of Delaware in general assembly met, That all gifts, grants, bargains, sales, conveyances, and devises of lands, tenements, and hereditaments, within this State, made before the 1st day of January, A. D. 1879, to any person or persons who, at the time of making the same, was an alien, or were aliens, shall be good and effectual, and shall be construed and taken to be good and effectual to vest in the grantee or grantees, bargainee or bargainees, devisee or devisees, such estate and interest, and as good a right and title in and to the the same as he or she or they could have taken by the same gift, grant, bargain, sale, conveyance, or devise, if he or she or they had been legally naturalized at the time of making the same; and all deeds and conveyances made of any lands, tenements, or hereditaments within this State, by any such alien or aliens, or his or her or their legal representatives, or by virtue of any legal process, directed to the sheriff or coroner, shall be as good and effectual and shall be construed to be as good and effectual to vest in the grantee or grantees, bargainee or bargainees, devisee or devisees, such estate, and as good a right and title in and to the same lands, tenements, and hereditaments as such grantee, bargainee, or devisee could have taken by the same if the grantor, bargainor, or devisor had been legally naturalized at the time of making such grant, bargain, sale, conveyance, or devise last mentioned.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted as aforesaid, That the widow, child, or children, respectively, of any alien, who died before the 1st day of January, A. D. 1879, shall be held to have acquired and taken the same interest, right, and estate as they would have done if such alien had been a citizen at the time of his death. And all conveyances made by such widow, child, or children, or of their or any of their rights or estates by legal proceeding, shall be as valid and effectual to convey such rights and estates as if such alien had been a citizen of this State at the time of his death.

Passed at Dover, February 5, 1879.

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ACT OF 1881.

[Delaware Laws, parts 1-2, 1879-81, title 22, ch. 522, p. 721.]

AN ACT To encourage immigration to the State of Delaware.

Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the State of Delaware in general assembly met. All unimproved marsh lands lying adjacent to the Delaware Bay or any of its tributaries within this State that are not now assessed at more than two dollars per acre, when purchased and located upon by colonies of immigrants, composed of ten or more families, shall be exempt from the assessment and payment of State and county taxes for a period of ten years from and after the date of first purchase and occupancy. Passed at Dover, April 8, 1881.

ACT OF 1883.

[Laws of Delaware (17), 1883, ch. 45, p. 74.]

AN ACT For the encouragement of immigration, and to foster the agricultural interests of the State.

Whereas the agricultural interests of this State are regarded by this general assembly as of primary importance; and whereas it is manifest that in order to the development of our uncultivated lands and the fixed and permanent establishment of a population corresponding with the capacity of our sparsely populated territory; and whereas the agricultural interests of Delaware demand an increase of labor to furnish increased facilities to plant and harvest the various crops grown, it is eminently expedient for us at this time to invite the population of other States, both American and European, to fix their homes and invest their capital with us; and whereas it is necessary in order to this end that the inhabitants of distant countries shall be particularly advised and informed of our form of government and of the numerous advantages of climate, soil, and productions which are here offered to foreigners seeking settlement in other countries;

And whereas many active and efficient agencies exist capable of giving a wide distribution to such authentic publication as the State may make of her many advantages and inducements to settlers from foreign States and States of the Union; now, therefore, the more effectually to diffuse the information aforesaid, for the purposes aforesaid and for the objects of this act,

Be it enacted by the senate and house of representatives of the State of Delaware in general assembly met:

SECTION 1. That within thirty days after the passage of this act (and biennially thereafter on the second Tuesday of December) the governor shall appoint three suitable persons, one from each county, residents of this State, of good moral character and well qualified for the place, as a board of immigration of the State of Delaware, who shall hold the said positions (for the term of two years) unless removed by the governor for sufficient cause. The governor shall have power to fill any vacancies caused by death, resignation, or otherwise.