The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-06-28
THE PADRONE SYSTEM.
Slave Labor in Now York and How It Il
MonOpoIized by Sharks.

Slave Labor in Now York and How It Is
MonopoIized by Sharks.
Your correspondent to-day had talk
with Mr.. V. L. Ricketts,, the clerk of the
House Committee on Immigration, who
lcted as clerk and sergeant-at-arms for
che joint investigating committee, and
who probably gathered more general in
formation upon the subject under inves-
tigation than most of the members of the
comm ittee. In the course of his talk ne
said:
Probably the worst evil connected
with our modern immigration is the
Italian padrone system. Twenty-seven
thousand Italian immigrants were landed
ut New York last year, and probably
two-thirds of them are subject to a
bondage almost as pernicious as the
African slave system that prevailed in
the Southern States thirty years ago.
They are brought here by the Italian
banker, who is also a Spectator on the
labor market. They are induced to
come by promise of higher wages than
they can earn in Italy. A laborer ac-
customed to twenty cents day is easily
persuaded by an offer of a dollar, and so
the ticket is sent. He reaches America
prepared to answer all questions put to
him by the authorities. He goes direct
to Elizabeth street, if not met sooner by
the padrone or his agent. He is put to
work on the streets, on railroad, or
elsewhere, with an army of his fellow
countrymen. The padrone furnishes to
the contractor, we will say, 100 men at
Sl.25 per day, and the contractor pays
the men 81 per day, and the padrone
gets % cents. In addition he retains the
store or 'shanty' privilege, and has a
monopoly of their trade, and his bills
are paid before the wages are paid.
These privileges he usually subjects.
Then he gets their savings and pays no
interest. Thus his profits are manifold
80 or So on the steamship ticket sold
to the Italian peasant the rent of the
apartment he occupies, sales of all he
consumes 5 per cent of his wages, and
finally, if he is naturalized, the price of
his vote. And all this time the padrone
never betrays his slaves, keeps in good
faith every promise he makes, and
American. Naturally suspicious, they
are trained to be doubly so; and, as they
seldom learn English, they never open
communication with an American, ex-
cept through an interpreter and then it
is never sought.
''There are 100, 900 Italians in the city
of New York: 10000 are herded in one
little district comprising only a few
squares in the vicinity of Mott and
Elizabeth streets. Jay Gould might &c
there tomorrow and be unable directly
to employ hundred, but he could GO
to a padrone and employ as many hun
dreds as he could use. An inspector OF
public works in New York testified be-
fore the committee that there were 5000
Italians engaged on public works in that
city, all under the padrone system: and
this comprised 90 per cent. of all the
workmen so employed at that time.
Ten years ago 80 per cent. of the cigars
manufactured in New York were made
by American workmen, but to-day 81
per cent. are made by foreigners, chiefly
Italians, and the wages have fallen from
| S12 per week to -. But q small proper
| ton of these immigrants ever become
naturaIized, while very large proper
ton after few years return to Italy
with few hundred dollars and live il
luxury the rest of their days. Some
wise and thoughtful Italians here, like
Sig. Celso Moreno of Washington, have
seen the tendency of this system ant
| have made vigorous war on the
padrones, but so far with little result
They charge that the Italian Govern
ment or its representatives here and a
home wink at this system and SILENT!
give it encouragement" -Indianapoli
| Journal.