Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-19
ITALIAN ImmIsRANrs.

Apprehensions are expressed in some quar-
tiers that, before long, an italian question"
will be added to the "Chinese question"
Immigrants from sunny Italy, after patron
izing South America, especially Brazil, for
many years, are now seeking our shores,
nearly 5000 OF them having landed in New
York the last three months. They are sturdy
fellows, the New York papers say, and will
work anywhere for any wages, and work
well. Contractors who have employed them
give them good character, ss being CRATE
full for kind treatment, and easily controlled
and kept up to their work. In Southern
Italy they have been accustomed to malaria,
and no kind OF country deters them, and the
places of those who die ara fearlessly taken
by others. There is no labor that appals
them. At home they have hewed vast tun-
nels under mountain chaina, and all the
horror and mortality of The under
ground labor never dsunted them. Our
Southern climate they find especially
congenial, we know by Italians
resident among ns, and ii Tennessee really
does want good, industrious laborers as i'm
migrants, they can be found in these men.
These immigrants can be had. for the New
York Journal certi6es that they care swarm
ing over the world in search OF RAILWAYS to
build, canals, CELLARS and bitches to excavate,
streets and cutters to clean, and any kind of
labor, no matter how odious and odorous, to
be performed. They are up for any market
and ready for any job. Southern Italy has
acclimated them to the most malignant
malarias. They are proof against the fevers
that throw so many Irish and German dig
gers and ditehers out of work." But the
same authority informs us: "The aspect of
the newcomers is one of grim earnestness.
They look desperately intent on earning
dollar, Tor which purpose alone they exile
themselves from sunny Italy. The only
favor they ask is the right to work, and they
will hire themselves out to any employment
The most mental and repulsive at the best |
obtainable price. Rather than be idle I
they would work for their board, though they
may have handfuls of gold and silver sewn
up in their rags. They love slavisA toll, |
and have not the slightest objection TO ex-
treme risks and dangers" Here is where, it
is apprehended, the Italian question is likely
to come in. Here is the very "pauper labor
of Europe" that the protection that does not
protect Is professedly supported to protect
against. The American laboriug man must
pay dearly that what is produced by the
pauper labor of Europe may not be accessi-
BILE to him and his family, but that pauper
labor itself is fully accessible to the monopo-
list and either as Chinese or Italian it will
be supplied. That difficulty may arise in
settling questions that arise from the very
prosperity we rejoice in appears likely, but
our protective system only aggravates and in
no way Lighters the difficulties that are ap-
pretended. OF course if we are patient any
trouble about the newcomers
will settle itself, and the new people will fall
in with the bulk OF our population, or take
their earnings. when they have enough. and
return to the land of grapes and olive oil
but usually in the matter of wages our peo-
pie do not have patience, and that is why an
italian question" ia looked for.