The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-05-24

harbor of New York. Professor Cd
RIM was appointed as the result of cor
respOndence between Herman Stump.
United States superintendent of i'm
migration; Baron Fava, Italian min
lister at Washington, and Secretaries
Gresham and Carlisle, regarding the
conditions under which Italians Of
the laboring classes come to America.
the conditions with which they find
themselves confronted when they arrive
here, and particularly the padrone sys-
tenn, SO generally and obnoxiously in
existence among the Italians in the
United States.
In one of the letters, written by Sec
rotary Carlisle, especial attention was
directed to the fact that there is main
tanned in New York an immigrants
free employment bureau, to which i'm
migrants Of all natiOnalities are priv
legged to apply, but which is never taken
advantage of by the newly arrived sons
and daughters of sunny Italy. The rea-
son for this is undoubtedly the fact that
nearly or quite all Italian immigrants,
whether coming here under direct con-
tract and so liable to be excluded or not,
are well informed with regard to the To-
cation of various padrOni, and expect to
secure employment from them-in fact,
will not accept it from any one else.
Previous to the letter by Mr.. Carlisle,
above quoted from, Baron Fava had
written to Secretary Gresham Of the Ital-
ian governments disapproval of the
padrOne system as follows:
The precarious condition in which the Ital-
find
al in the United States ON account of the Ital
ian spectators who get hold of them deserves
to be taken into serious consideration. The
immoral traffic originates in the evil of the
t'padroni" (oosses), who find nleansi in the Unit
ed States to ransom Outrageously the italian
immigrants, with moro or less evil conse-
quences. In my opinion the only way to pro-
tect the Italian immigrants against the rapac-
ity of the s'padroni'' would be to establish in
the ports of arrival bureaus of labor or other
similar offices duly authorized and recognized
by the federal government.
This, however, was not considered
practicable or desirable, inasmuch as
the bureau of which immigrants of all
natiOnalities other than the Italian take
advantage is maintained without ex-
pense to the government as well as with
out cost to them, but roOmy quarters for
the use of an agent of the Italian gov
eminent, together with every facility
for the performance of his duties, were
set apart at the Ellis island bureau by
the United States government. Pro-
fessor Odrini being selected to act as
such agent, he began his work, as stat
ed, in June last.
Though this Italian bureau is not an
employment agency, it has proved to be
of the utmost value to Italian immi-
grants, and the more so because Profess
or Odrini and DR.. Senner, commissioner
at Ellis island, and Mr.. McSweeney,
assistant commissioner, work in the
most perfect harmony.
Professor Odrini has been a resident
of the United States for many years. He
| speaks the English language perfectly
and understands the immigration laws
and the bureau rules thoroughly. AS,
of course, he speaks italian fuently and
knows the Italian character as only an
Italian could, he is able to unravel
many complications that might be in
| soluble without him and more thorough
| 1y to protect newly arrived Italian i'm
migrants than they have ever before been
| protected. He is as anxious to see the
restrictive laws carried out as any of the
! United States authorities, for the SIM
| pie reason that he realizes that in that
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