Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-29
Italian ~Immiorants.

The Italians OF the eastern cities who
have exhibited so much .solicitude re-
garding the immigration Investigation,
now in progress, by a committee of con-
gress, and which has particular refer
ence to the importation OF contract
labor, went far astray in assuming that
there was any purpose to discriminate
against their people. Natives Of Italy
coming TO the United States who are
not amenable to existing laws restrict
ing immigration will always enjoy the
same privileges that are accorded to
the people of all other countries. This
government will never make any regu-
lations as to immigration that would
not leave the people Of Italy on an
equality with those of the most favored
nation. The reason why Italians have
figured most conspicuously in the public
discussion OF this matter is in the fact
that for II year past these people have
been swarming to our shores in a steady
and increasing stream, and it became
obvious that they were being brought
here under conditions that contravencd
viz Jaw uSill5i lHIDOILluS NOhl I
labor. During the first half of tie
present year there were landed in New
York over thirty-five thousand Italians,
a large number, perhaps u majority,
being practically paupers when they
arrived. This great influx naturally at
tracted attention, and investigation
left little doubt that fully two-thirds
of it was forced. These peo-
pie, taken charge Of by So
called contractors, were distributed
about over the country to other pre-
tended contractors who found them
work. The large majority, however,
remained in the east, and as soon as the
labor market became depressed thou
sands of them were thrown out of en-
ployment. Within u month it has been
reported that a very large number of
these people, drawn from their native
land by deceptive assurances, and COM
PEELED to pay most ~outrageously for
being deceived, were suffering for the
necessities of life in New York and
vicinity. But still the inflow continued.
This was a state of affairs that GER
tainly demanded investigation in the in
terest both of a proper enforcement OF
our laws and the welfare of this class Of
immigrants. 1t was clearly desirable
to ascertain whether these people were
being induced to come here in violation
of law and being outrageously mulcted
to pay alleged contractors and agents
for bringing them here and securing
them employment. Every reasonable
Italian should have welcomed such an
investigation. and it is surely not a pro-
ceeding with which the government of
Italy can find fault. At all events it
has been fully justified by results thus
far. The testimony OF the Italian vice
consul at New York and OF immi-
grants who have appeared before the
committee conclusively shows that there
is a thoroughly organized system for pro-
noting the immigration OF Italian la
borers. and that when brought here
these people are mercilessly %plundered
by the contractors" who as u rule, ac-
cording to the vice consul, kept in New
York a bank. saloon, labor bureau and
tlcket once all IN One-a COmDlnatlOn
for robbing the immigrant who became
enmeshed that was pretty sure to keep
him practically a pauper for years.
Manifestly the government would not
be justified in permitting such a state
OF things to continue without taking
notice of il, and it Is already evident
that it would have been well, particu-
larly for the thousands of Italians
now idle and subsisting on
charity III the eastern cities,
if the investigation had been entered
upon a year earlier. 1t can hardly fail
now, however, to be productive of very
beneficial results in warning the labor
ers OF Italy and Of other countries
against the specious inducements held
out by the agents abroad of real or pre-
tended contractors for labor in the
United States, and in apprising all gov
ernments that this country intends to
rigidly enforce the law prohibiting the
importation of contract labor.