Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-17
The Influx of Italians.

The present influx of foreigners into
the United States has been frequently
alluded to as unprecedented in the his
tory of the country, and it is also no
ticeable fact that the immigration this
season is as diversified in character as in
nationality. The Latins are coming to the
front. and it is evident that the Celt and
the Teuton are no longer to contribute
their usual proportion of two thirds OF
the imported population, and that the
want of deft artisans, which has been
heretofore so severely felt in this country
in various mechanic industries, is not to
be so pronounced in the future. A fresh
supply of skilled labor is coming from a
new quarter.
Discussing this subject the New York
Commercial Bulletin remarks that among
the nationalist which are now repre-
sented daily at Castle Garden in larger
numbers than heretofore, and which
promise to exercise an important in
fluence upon our domestic industries
and handicrafts, the Italian occupies
conspicuous place. There is very little
doubt, from present appearances, that
the emigration from the Mediterranean
to the United States will grow to enor-
nous proportions, and it would not be
surprising if in the course of time it
does numerically and in other respects
replace the Celt. The cause of this is
ascribed to the fact that Italy is essen
TALLY an impoverished country. The
condition of the Irish peasant
probably has never been materially
worse than that of the Italian; and
while prosperity and education have
been advancing, despite political agita
ton, in Ireland, the progress of popular
intelligence in Italy has been extremely
slow. The class from which the great
Irish immigration of the past has been
recruited, as is well known, has been so
greatly reduced that the population of
the country at present is barely $500, 900.
On the other hand. the population of
Italy on December 31st, 1881, was 49,,
452. 900, an increase of 1,650,84 since
1871. The annual emigration from
Italy at present is only $4,000, but as the
excess of births over deaths during the
above ten years was 1893, S45. or $780,,
3S4 per annum, it is evident that the
country can furnish some 100000 immi
grants per year without inconvenience
to those who remain.
eff, says the Bulletin, eve compare
the superfcies of Ireland and Italy we
find the proportions to stand thus:
Area Po,pula-
Ireland. ........-. -.--...- 3S53l 5,@20'UO0
italy OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ia ooO <o,4o<,UOo
Thus, Italy, which has not four times
the area of Ireland, has five and half
times its population. Although it pos
sesses many advantages of climate,
manufactures, etc., as we'll as for mari
time commerce, it has been so overbur-
thened with taxes and bad govern
ment that the poorer classes
have now no alternative but emf
grafton. During the few years past the
Italian exodus to South America, more
especially to the countries on the La
Plata, has been something phenomenal.
The supply in that quarter having ap-
parently met the demand, the living
stream, it is now seen. is turned to. the
United States. There is no reason there
fore to doubt that within n given time
we should have an Italian 3ammany in
New York were it not thai ne influx of
other races may, by happy counter
balancing influence, prevent the proleta-
riat of any one nationality from attaining
/ q accommodating OOsitiOn