New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-19
THE EXODUS FROM ITALY.
VIEWS OF CoNsUL-GENERAL DE LUCIA

TO INC " i"c -
SIR: The persistent misrepresentation at
tending the Italian emigration to this port make IL IN
cumbent on me 20 submit once for ALL 10 the unpreju
diced opinion Of the American public the real CONDITION
OF affairs Merely 10 suppose that the Government on
His Majesty the King OF Italy looks favoraby OF even
indereny this exodus Is not TO know OF 70 ignore
the actual OF Italy and its vital interests
The agriculture Of the Southern Provinces now heaVV
suffering the of aborers consequent upon the
large emigration especially South America. which the
Italian press character scourge, and calls unaD
mousy upon the public for united EFFORTS 10 prevent
Those who assume that the Government could ana
ought interfere not TO be aware that italy
free country and thathe right to change domcie Is as
sacred there in the United States for all ts cizehs
rich or poor educated or iiterate.
Let us suppose that month ago a telegram hau
reached EewYork announcing that by decree OF the
Italian emigration TO America had been for
hidden. How would the news have been received by
the press and public opinion this counryi Would not
the measure have been denounced as tyrannical and
iegali The Americanrpeope who enjoy all the bless
ngs OF freedom generous to wish for ts monop
oily They ought applaud and not blame the italian
| Government; and I'm truth 1t cannot be consist
| emily explained. this olamOr against Govern
| ment which puts obstacle upon emigration, ana
the strong disapprobaton expressed by the American
press not long ago. against another European Govern
ment for endoa yorng check it, Is it to be presumed
that the laws OF the United States in regard to emil
grants have only partial bearing natonalities
and not on Others and that there parhs among ma
tions to whom the OF the Hudson forbidden,
as are those OF the Ganges TO the Indian parahsf All
! that the Italian Government could do was 10
| require the emigrants comply with GER
| tain conditions before granting Them passports,
especially those directed to the United States, where
In the absence protective Italian societies there Is
greater difficulty obtaining employment than In South
America. As q general measure these nave 10 prove
that they are possessed sufficient TO live for
some time after landing. that they have relations
| here able TO take of them But everybody knows
| how easy it Is 10 eyade such requirements by false
| representations or by declaring different desti-
| nation. or even by leaving Italy without any
| passport at ALL IL must DO bOrne In mind
that Italy has port on the Atlantic
OF take passports for South America and
go to Havre Liverpool whence they proceed to the
United States Such In fact has been the case with many
of those newly arrived Italians. who now hero with
passports for Buenos Ayres. Is the Italian Government
expected 20 decide also by what reute the emigrants
have 10 proceed their destination through territories
in which has Jurisdiction don't think that the
| Italian emgrants coming direct from Italian ports by
the Anchor line have caused the Commissioners OF
Emigration any more expense or annoyance imam the
| best class OF those FROM other countries.
Let us now examine with calmness in what consists
the great scandal attributed to this Italian Immigration
and the facts justfyng such unprecedented hostility
III am not mistaken, the man accusation repeatedly
dwelt upon is that they destitute but II they were
not so they would not have emigraed IL Is well known
that those who rch or even comfortably situated
In their own country do not it, whether German
rish Scandinavian, italian. except for reasons OF
trade or from political moral causes. Poverty. be-
| sides ps not absolute fact. hut relative to
the country in which lives Thus, for
instance man may be considered poor in
Germany who cannot dispose Of 100 thaers
while in Italy would be considered poor II unable TO
dispose OF 100 Italian yre. must confess, therefore
that cannot how the destituou OF these may he
called scandalOus and how their poverty differs so ma
triay that Of the greatest portion OF emgrants
or other natonates not TO entite them to the same
eager hospitality afforded to those who perhaps
poorer than themselves. Frederick Kapp. dstin
-r-fnr n Iatefy C0mmis-
soner of Emigration, speaking OF the development OF
the United States in his work Immigration" pub
iished IN 1870 thus expresses himself -, s,
@ Development mainly the eonuI Of the aud outeas Of
The end which the Legislature OF New-York had in
view Ia adopting the act OF May 8. lS7 by which the
Commissioners OF Emigration and the system OF the
Communication money Tor all Immigrants were established,
was what Mr. Kapp thus defines:
being robbed facilitate bis p,.>iss through city 2s
csiy to furnish him With small amount Of money in short not TO
hq with the ultimate yeE Of making him mae
soa become With the Interests the county
On carefully examining the foregoing act do not
find any exception "a regard to immigrants entirely des
ttute OF means AL tndIscrimnately, with or without
means tO be- received the payment OF the com
mutation money. aud then 1t shall be The duty OF the
Commissioners to provide FOR the ,o maintain
communication money shall have been paid as
aforesaid CSec T. Art o. NAY l21 superintendent
OF Jan. II, 1853. clearly states that part of the
immigration always among that class persons who
seek refuge these shores and subsistence by labor
with little cash means. Some OF the newspapers
speaking Of my interviews with reporters say that do
not meet the fact that large number OF these Italian
emigrants dependent the Commissioners of Chart
knowing do the loss that these laborers and
are to my country. and the benefit that country like
this will derive from them where the demand for abo
ia always greater than the supply have hesitation
In declaring openly that the temporary expenses In sup
the country which defrays thcn Allow me to give the
following calculations
Several estimates been made OF the average capt.
tai value OF each Immigrant to this country both
Brace in an article published IN HE TRDUsE Of Nov D.
1862 reduces II 10 $1,000 the Bureau of Statistics.
last estimate as basis. and. making the
most liberal allowance say Of 100 per cent
individual worth of these Italians TX the average IN
their case at si25 suppose. ON the other side. that
ers Emigration the charitable institutions for three
months from date OF arrival and at the rate of
from $50 to 49, leaving in favor of the United
states OF 1855 per capu or SAT- 800 for 1900 OF the
deem IL unnecessary to correct this communication
all the exaggerated statements which have been
ception To their destination, &C., have already
furnished several reporters with information on these
subjects. Some impOstons their creduity, and in a
few actual fraud, have really been practiced by
TO Rc%s By assn SS Ssn 3
brought before the Judiciary authorities, who,
alone empowered to investigate and punish frauds
The Executive power has no right TO do IT, without their
intervention; and understand the reason why
the Americans, who are 10 little accustomed to depend
upon the assistance OF their Government and who know
their master. always laying all responsibility at
tns a ont S Ss e Of Ie s
treme hardship to which these people from Southern