Office of the Historian

Mr. McKenzie to Mr. Gresham.

Legation of the United States,
Lima, October 23, 1893. (Received November 13.)
No. 50.]

Sir: I have the honor to transmit to the Department of State a copy of a law in regard to “Immigration,” together with translation thereof, which passed the Peruvian Congress on the 7th of October, 1893.

I have the honor, etc.,

J. A. McKenzie.
[Inclosure in No. 50.—Translation.]

immigration.

The President of the Republic:

Whereas Congress has passed the following law:

The Congress of the Republic of Peru, considering: That the natural sources of wealth of the Republic will be better turned to account by a system of immigration attracting labor and capital to the country, has passed the following law:

  • Article 1. The State protects and encourages immigration.
  • Art. 2. Those considered immigrants are: (1) All foreigners to Peru of white race, being under 60 years of age, who came to the territory of the Republic for the purpose of establishing themselves, and who place themselves under the dispositions of this law and exhibit to the authorities appointed by the Government the corresponding certificate furnished them by the Peruvian consuls or agents abroad concerning their morality, trade, or profession. (2) Colonists uniting the requisites mentioned in the preceding paragraph are specially contracted to settle given spots in the Republic.
  • Art. 3. Immigrants are entitled to: (1) Board and lodging at the nation’s expense during the first seven days after their arrival in Peru. (2) To introduce free of duty all articles intended for their personal use, clothes, articles for their domestic use, firearms for hunting, agricultural implements, tools used in the exercise of their respective arts and trades, in such number as the Government shall prudently fix.
  • Art. 4. In addition to the concessions mentioned in the foregoing article the colonists will be entitled to the following: (1) A free passage, third class, on hoard such ships as are going to Peru. (2) The number of hectares of land as the Government shall assign to them at the place to be settled. (3) To be conveyed at the expense of the Government after their arrival in Peru or from their lodging to the spot to be settled. (4) To be maintained at the expense of the Government for three months from their arrival at the settlement. (5) Exemptions from all direct taxation for the term of five years. (6) To be supplied but once with agricultural implements and tools designated by the Government.
  • Art. 5. The supreme Government is empowered to contract colonists in Europe at such places as it may deem convenient.
  • Art. 6. The board of directors of the department of public works shall be charged with the care of immigration and colonization.
  • Art. 7. There shall be established a central board of immigration and colonization in the capital of the Republic, to be composed of 25 members, to be appointed by the Government, for the purpose of promoting, to encourage, and to develop immigration in the nation.
  • Art. 8. The central board shall be empowered to establish auxiliary immigration and colonization boards in those provincial and district capitals as it may deem convenient.
  • Art. 9. The said board shall adopt a system of rules and regulations to be the base of their organization, the same to be submitted to the Government for its approval; it shall also establish rules and regulations for the boards depending upon it.
  • Art 10. The duty of the members of the board of immigration and colonization is to give counsel, and they are obliged to serve for the term of four years, and the post can only be vacated before the authority that made the appointment when a just cause has been found to exist.
  • The boards will be renewed every two years; that is to say, half at a time, the renewal of the first half being effected by drawing lots, that of the following by law.
  • Art. 11. The central board of emigration and colonization shall present to the Government once a year, and when required, a report upon the conditions and requirements of the different centers of colonization, embracing the data and information supplied by the provincial boards as regards the branches of industry actually existing, or such as are about to be established, salaries, climate, and other matters referring to colonization.
  • Art. 12. That the same boards as regards emigration be vested with the initiative expressed in art. 17 of the law of decentralization from the central government as far as it concerns the services and modes of dispensing the same, best adapted to protect the work of colonizing with emigrants.
  • Art. 13. The Government shall appoint such technical commissioners as are indispensable for the study and encouraging colonization.
  • Art. 14. The consuls-general of the Republic appointed in foreign countries shall, at their respective offices, open bureaus of information, in order to make known the advantages of emigrating to the Republic.
  • Art. 15. During the arrangement of buildings for the reception of the colonists, the Executive is authorized to provide 60 cents a day for the support of adult emigrants, and 30 cents for children under twelve years of age.
  • Art. 16. The emigrants brought to Peru under the authority of the law of November 23, 1889, as referring to colonization and the prolongation of the Oroya Railroad are not included with those who are entitled to the benefits of this present law.

Let this be communicated to the Executive, so that the necessary steps for rendering it effective may be taken.

Given at the House of Congress this 7th day of October, 1893.

  • Francisco Rosas,
    President of the Senate.
  • Mariano Nicolas Valcarcel,
    President of the Chamber of Deputies.
  • Leonidas Cardenas,
    Secretary of the Senate.
  • Eliseo Aranjo,
    Secretary of the Chamber of Commerce.

To His Excellency the Constitutional President of the Republic.

I consequently order the impression, publication, circulation, and due carrying out.

Given at the Government House in Lima on the 14th day of October, 1893.

  • Remigio Morales Bermupez,
  • Alfredo Gaston.