Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-06
PROBLEMS OF THE DAY
An Observer Goes Beneath EurOpe's
Social Surface and
FINDS A POLITICAL VOLCANO.
A Serious immigration Problem for Amer
leans to Solve.
SOCIALISM MAKING RAPID STRIDES


WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-There has come
here an interesting citizen who recently re-
turned to this country from Europe, where
he spent some time in investigating certain
political and social movements, and had an
opportunity of looking under the surface of
affairs in half dozen countries. He took
notice there. especially of three cotempor-
aneous concerns-the Russian Hebrew
exodus, the italian emigration and the
Socialist agitation. In referring to these
things he spoke thus:
'The Hebrew question is of far more seri-
ous import than Americans have yet under
stood it to be. These are over 5000, 600 of
the race in Russia and Poland, and the Rus
sian Government is determined to drive
them away from its territory. Between
go, 900 and 70, 900 of them arrived in the city
OF New York last year, and a sufficient num-
Der arrived at other American ports to
make the Hebrew immigration to the
United States during the year fully 100000.
The probabilities are that twice as many
will leave Russia in 1892. and, though there
has been some talk about part of them
going to Brazil, the Argentine Republic,
Mexico and other Spanish-American coun-
tries, it is the United States that all of them
desire to settle in, and they have many
reasons for entertaining this desire.
A Serious Public Question.
"After investigating things abroad, be-
lieve that more than 1,00O, 900 of them will
take ship for our country within few years.
This is a strious question for the considera-
of the American people. Nearly all of the
Russian-Hebrew immigrants are penniless,
and are aided in coming here and after they
get here. They do not amalgamate with the
people of our country; they live by them
selves in New York and other cities; they
form colonies of their own, and they know
nothing about our language, our institutions
or our industries. We have never before
had an immigration of the kind, and there
is great deal of speculation about it among
thinking men, including those employed in
our domestic industries who are affected
by it.
"What can be done by the Government
for its regulation ? President Harrison and
Secretary Blaine are unable to answer the
question, though they are aware of its
gravity. Our Republic is a home for the
oppressed of all the world. and Congress
could adopt no legislation that would dis
criminate against any race of mankind ex-
cept the Chinese, whom it has prohibited
from coming to this country. Iconfess that
can make no suggestion of practical
kind, and must wait for the arrival of some
body who can make any.
The Italian Rush Nearly Over.
sAnother thing that I looked into while
abroad was the rush of Italians to this coun-
try. 1 came to the conclusion, after travel
ing through Italy, that the rush will not
last long. We have had more immigrants
from Italy within the past two years than
we will have in all the other years of this
country. The Italians are turning their
faces toward Argentina and other South
American countries, where they do better
than they do in the United States, where
they are welcome, and where they find
climate that is more agreeable than ours is,
and where they intermarry with the Spanish
race, whose language they acquire easily,
and whose ways are like their own. Far
more Italians are going there now than are
coming to this country, and became salts
fed while in Italy that the immigration of
Italians to the United States will rapidly
decrease hereafter. In fact 1 am satisfied
that we shall soon see the end of it.
"But more deserving Of notice than any,
thing else that I investigated in Europe
was the Socialist business which is now agi- |
tating half dozen countries. In Spain it
working classes there. great part of whom |
belong to the class that cannot get work. |
The Government has been fighting them for |
some time in the province of Andalusia, |
and they are a perpetual menace to the |
peace in Madrid and Barcelona. The Gov |
is trying to suppress them and |
keep them down, but how can it suppress |
the discomfort that has got into the bones |
Of more than half of the population of |
Spain2
100000 Socialists in Belgium.
s1n Belgium also the Socialists have
been especially active during the past half |
year, and at this time the Belgian Govern
nent is alarmed by their proceedings, as
you may see by the recent news from
Brussels. They are thoroughly organized
there, even the peasants of the rural dis
tricts, but more especially the miner
that there are at least AGO. 900 enrolled
Socialists in the little kingdom of Belgium,
and that the demand for universal suffrage
which they are now making upon the
Chamber of Deputief is but the opening of |
programme that is based upon the plat
form of the International Society. Should |
The Chamber of Deputies refuse to make
concessions it would not be hard to raise a
among the Belgian workingmen,
md when the flag of revolt is hoisted there
i will appear very soon afterward in other
''The German Kaiser understands the |
'act, and is giving proof that he realizes its
Importance. 1t is understood in Italy and
n Austria, and even in England. But |
France and Russia are safer from Socialist |
than any other countries of the
European continent. In France the Gov
,rnment is responsive to the sentiment of
he majority, and in Russia there is no pub
ic sentiment, or any majority for anything
" any organization Of the masses, or any
representative legislature. I became fully
while travelling abroad that in
he event of a general European war this
ear, the Socialists of good many countries
rill be heard from.
"Finally, may say that I have no propo-
ition to put in print regarding the Russian
Hebrew question, that in my judgment we
hall soon see the end of the Italian immi-
ration question, and that we can do nothing
0 relieve overburdened Europe from the
;al; 81 Ouactian 1