The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-21
AN EARTHLY HEAVEN.
That Is What European laborlng
Classes Think Of America.
wRETCHEDNESS AND SQuALOR
Prevalent Throughout Italy and other
European states-A Traveller brings
Back a Report Containing Valuable In
formation-sO 90, 900 Italians.

serestine and valuable information rela-
tive to the labor classes of Europe was
submitted to the joint committee on i'm
migration, which met yesterday to confer
about the bill introduced byMr. Chandler
In the Senate to suspend immigration Tor
one year. Graphic pictures of European
life among the laboring classes and the
moor were drawn by Mr.. Walter T.. Grit
lin, commercial agent OF the United States
at Limoges, France.
Acting under orders from the state de-
partment, Mr.. Griffin began three years
ago TO investigate the condition OF the Ia
boring classes of Europe in the dlstrlctf
where the greater part OF our immigrant
come from, and in those sections whert
the means for earning livelihood arr
least.
Mr.. Griffin said that he visited tn
countries of Switzerland, Italy, Hungary
Silicia, France, Austria, Galacla, Bohemia
Holland, etc. II was in Italy thathe iouho
The Most Deplorable State
of affairs, but line drawn from the Adri-
attic to the Mediterranean Seas through
the city of Rome divided the country into
two sections that were vastly different In
their conditions. The upper part was the
abode of a class of people who were hon
est and energetic and made good citizens;
but this class did not emigrate TO Amerl-
ca. - -
Below the line named, Mr.. Griffin said
the conditions were all changed and the
whole OF the territory was honeycombed
with societies, all communistic and al
most criminal in their intent and purpose
Dealing with these organizations, Mr.. Grit
fin showed how they operated, and related
A. II. off Italian
government to drive them out of exist
ence.
All Of the young men OF the country be-
long TO some one OF these societies and the
coming of every immigrant from that
section means the importation OF man
who carries to his new home the ideas that
dominate him In the land of his birth.
Last wear alone 200, 900 of these men left
Italy, great part of them coming to the
United States.
Speaking of the desire OF the people Of
Europe, OF the lower class, to come to
America, Mr.. Griffin said it was
Common Thing to Hear,
along the territory forming the plains OF
the Danube, the expression, "America is
the heaven OF the world" The heigA At-ef
their ambition was TO come to the states,
and Mr.. Griffin said he had many people
offer to bind themselves to serve him for
an indefinite period II he would only
bring them over. They look to a home
in the United States as the acme OF all
human happiness.
Mr.. Griffin also found innumerable in
stances where the people OF particular
locality would club together and buy the
passage Of a bright young man and send
him over, to prepare the way, make the
money, and send for the rest OF them. In
l. al 49, .,lt he I'm ~
all over Europe and sending thousands OF
people to this country.
Many stories were told by Mr. Griffin &c
show that the morals OF the people were
not such as to make them at all desirable
and that their peculiar ideas and customs
were such that they could not be assimi-
lated and become American citizens. II
was from this vast number of undesirable
poor and illiterate people that the great
mass of immigrants came; and the recital
given by Mr.. Griffin was sufficient {,
show the committee that the whole sub
ject was one requiring the most careful
consideration.
After hearing Mr.. Griffin, the commit
tee went into secret session and discussed
the various measures introduced in both
Houses for the suspension OF immigration
during the
Prevalence of Cholera Abroad.
The discussion was general ana resulted
in an agreement that subcommittee OF
legislation to consist OF six members
three from the Senate and three from th
House, should be appointed by the chair
men OF the two committees, Senator
Chandler and Representative Stump.
The subcommittee is to consider nj
measures now before the committee pro
posing to suspend immigration, and is L
perfect some measure for this purpose b.
Thursday, on which day they are TO re
port to the full joint committee. TIL
members OF the subcommittee have no
vet been selected. The committee seer
to have reached the conclusion that som
measure suspending immigration is nee
essary In order to keep cholera from tn
United States during the coming summer
and will doubtless agree on a bill at a
early date and press 1 TO passage in bot
Houses.