The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1890-04-15


however, is one of the most thlckly
settled countries in Europe, having
a population of los to the square
kilometre, while Germany has only
81, France ~, and Austria Cis-Lith-
ania "a. At the same time the ex-
cess of births over deaths in Italy
per 1000 inhabitants is 1851, while
the emigration is little more than
four per 1000 The population OF
Piedmont as estimated in 1856 was
BIB, 1903, and the total permanent
emigration in 1888 was 1922. OF
these the province of Turin with a
population of 1,052,065, furnished
4.S25 emigrants. The small amount
of emigration from the large cities
of Italy is noticeable. Naples is
the largest town with population
of 494, 314, and has density supe-
rior to that of London, Paris, Berlin,
or Vienna; yet Its emigration is less
than from many a good-sized vii
lage of the Basilicate or Colafrla.
This is owing to the cheapness of
living there and the case of getting
a livelihood; these, taken together
with the pleasure of living there,
destroy the inducements to emil
CRATE. Naples is perhaps the only
large city were the pure delight of
living at all counter-balances the
desire to live better. The popula-
ton of the province of Napoh, in
which Naples is situated reaches
the excessive figure Of 2,495 to the
square mile. The causes of emigra-
ton from Italy are in part the same
as from other countries: bad har-
vests, low wages, want of work, de-
sire to get on in the world or to lay
up money, and invitations of friends
who have already emigrated. But
the main cause of the great emigra-
ton from South Italy can only be
expressed by the word misery"
Sig. Nitti writes in his pamphlet:
HE who has not closely seen the
state of the laborers in Southern
Italy can have no idea of the misery
which obliges them to leave their
native land. Add to this the sloth
and vileness of the ruling class. In
some provinces every citizen who
can count Oh 500 or 600 lire of an
nual income g lire represents one
dollar thinks himself justified in
not workin, and, as they say, lives
on his rent Nowhere have seen
SO large a class of Migrants and of
those who live on their rents as in
Southern Italy Whilst in Pied
mont Is per cent of the inhabitants
are owners, in Liguria 1870, in LON
hardy 572. the average in the Nea-
politan provinces does not exceed
3.4S."
The emigrants from the north of
Italy, except from the provinces of
Podua, Treviso and Rovigo, nearly
always have sufficient money for
their journey; often enough for
their return; and some carry an
additional amount for emergencies.
Those from the provinces above
named, as we'll as from Southern
Italy, rarely have enough for their
journey after selling their cottages
and their cattle. I'm general, how
ever, there is disinclination among
emigrants to sell what little land
they may possess, and thus actually
separate themselves from their ma
tive country. They either let it or
leave it to those of their family who
stay behind. Very often they are
obliged to borrow money for the
expenses of their outward journey
Sometimes they borrow in common,
with mutual guaranty for payment;
and, according to the reports of
some of the syndics, have been
forced to pay usurious interest as
high as 80 per cent.
Of late years some of the South
American governments have offered
special inducements for emigration;
this is particularly the case with
Brazil, and emigrants to the pro-
vince of S. Paolo have been given
free passage and a subsidy on their
arrival. 1t is to the provinces of S.
Paolo and Rio Grande do sui that
italian immigration is chiefly di-
rected. Unfortunately, owing to
Encouragement, very many emf
grants accept these propositions
without their contracts being in
proper form. The local authorities
refuse to do anything for them;
they are reduced to extreme misery,
and large numbers of them have just
been sent home to Italy at the ex-
pense of the government. Similar
misadventures have befallen emil
grants to Mexico and Costa Rica
who had accepted the offers of pri-
vate companies. 1t is in part to
remedy this state of things that the
law on emigration was recently
passed by the Italian parliament.
While this law seems well devised
for putting an end to importations
practiced on Italian emigrants by
agents and contractors, it is also de-
signed to hinder the emigration of
the better elements of the popula-
ton; especially of young men in
robust health and possessing the
elements of education, and parti-
cularly those fit for military and
naval service. Ii is harmful to our