The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-30

They Like LouiaianN and Fiorida, and n

ssuming proportions which command attcn-
ton. 1t Is estimated that the Italian populn-
tion Of the United States numbers quite ono
million people. One-hHlf of these arc rated as
common Ia borers. In all the large cities OF the
South, as we'll as the North, they have n vir-
t:al monopoly of the fruit-vending business.
As organ grinders they have got the bulge on
the rest of mankind. No class of citizens can
approach the Italians ia the fine art of shining
a shoe. In most of tho large cities of tho South
they are driving the black boys out of the shoe
polishing industry, even rs the Cinnamon are
driving the black women out OF the washing
and ironing business.
But II is rot only in the fruit eolling, shoe
polishing, and organ grinding activities that
the Italian Is treading on the heels OF the mud
stills of Southern society, but rs n common Ia
borer. In this respect he Is n problem well
worth considering. His advent into the South
'ern field is natural. The climate comes nearer
that OF Italy than any of the Northern States
or the States east of the Rocky Mountains. He
doesn't take kindly to cold weather and the
sort Of industry that most obtains in the colder
climates. The Italian laborer is the only ono
who has been found who Is capable OF taking the
place of the Afro-American in the rougher sort
OF work OF the South. His entire adaptability
to srch work has not yet been fully demon
strated. II he shall provo such II will be n
severe blow to the black labor population of
the Southern States, which has boon constant
ly crowded out of the skilled trades during the
past decade and a half BY Northern working
men, who refuse to work with hem.
saw this point illustrated in Atlanta last
May, when white and black men were cm-
ployed in laying cobble stone pavement on
Auburn avenue. The white men refused to
work in the same gang with black men; they
consequently worked in two separate gangs,
divided by the space Of about fifty feet. More,
the white gang received so per cent. more for
the same work than the black gang. and the
white overseers made n closer scrutiny of the
work Of the black gang and required n higher
grade Of work of the black than Of the white
gang.
South are being driven to the wall, as they Ger:
tainly are, and Il the Italians come in and
force them out of the rougher work OF railroad
construction. sugar, and cotton culture, as
will become OF the black population? How can
1t live without remunerat,ve employment?
the rough work which has'heretofore fallen
TO the share of the The an
i swe Louisiana Us Tsady and Is south ARE 'F aolns II a xsiy dong taTsei Y
at a cheaper figure than the Af1o-Americans
have heretofore done 1t. This cheapness, OF
contractors OF railroad construction at least
do not 9yeTlook; What they want Is that I the
Then. another consideration should not be
overlooked. These contractors are, In the
main, Northern SInaE an men rS %no o have We. a u nss'I nc e
and do not know how to handle 1t effectively,
and do not seem to care to lean: Wherever
he invariably brings his white labor with him.
The gangs of Italians who proceed South con;
stantly from New York move at the m
OF Northern contractors.
I'VE had two car loads of these Italians leave
here recently for south Florida" said the
railroad agent to me at Fernandina. They
came here from New York by steamer. We
intended that the should change cars at Ev-
erett City for south Florida, but the cars were
in such a vile condition when they got TO Ev-
erett City that we decided TO send them right
through to TAMPA; They were a tough lot,
There are thousands of black men in Flor
ida willing and anxious to do the work these
Italians are brought into the state to do, but
as poorly az they live. they cannot live as
contractors do not want them.
The New Orleans newspapers are making q
great ado over the fact that the Italians have
become stuck on that quaint city. and are
making a dead rush for it. II is said that there
are 5000 of them In New Orleans alone, while
sugar plantations In the severa. parishes. They
are Of the runty sort, mostly from Sicily, and
vastly moro handy with The %stilatto than tho
black man is with the razor. Like the ratio
snake. the Italian does not al low anybody to
step on his pet corn without a speedy reckon
ing. Tnis Is one Of the aspects of the prob
leu. that gives the New Orleans news papers
and police mo st trouble. They do not con-
BlUeT Il III DelhU eltultE ulCu III NC
and ordered about without resenting it with a
thrust Of cold steel. sharp or. both sides. six
inches long as a desirable ADDITION to the pic,
/ was in New Orleans laet winter | was com
PEELED TO notice the presence OF large numbers
of Italians. They gave the polico a lot OF
trouble, not because they are habitual law
breakers, but because they are not used to the
pieasantries OF New Orleans policemen, and
are quick to resent an Insnlence or a kick
with u thrust Of cold steel. They may have
their Malta societies for settling disputes
-,~ tharn aalyaa hrf flaRA 6n nnf 0iVa tina
police half the trouble that the Italians readi-
ness 10 resent a police insolence or kick does.
one night in New Orleans. with two friends.
waiting for an uptown car. when n big po-
liceman grabbed my right arm and said as
he yRnked It:
Move along. there
II guess not" said Il. wrenching myself
Then iii pull you,'' said he.
pull, and DO blowed. said l. ~. am wait,
b tms ier an inch until one Comes along"
Avn said the policeman. II thought you
were losfng on the corner and he moved
''Bra-yiss-ee-maire.' exclaimed a sawed-ofr
Sicilian peanut vender at my elbow. Dot
alang. He will catch eet in re ribs, he WILL"
When l left New York two weeks ago on a
o oi1r'q forward Of the trst cabin, q beautiful
Italian girl, who, could not have been more
Than 10 years old; She was very dark of
She had crawled out If the steerage. and was
drinking In the fresh air. She and the chill
dren were dressed in the commonest and shah
best garments.
Sick" / asked, placing my hand upon the
little boys head.
Tie little mother shrugged her shoulders
and shook her head.
Don't understand English. chr"
Another shruR of the shoulders and shake
of the head. ] determined To- keep my eye on
this little woman. Sic loOted awfully dis
tressed and hungry. We got to Brunswick at
p:3O O'Clock. after breakfast. and one hour
after the little connecting steamer had gone
TO Fernandina. The purser announced that
we should all have 10 stay aboard until 4
o'clock the next morning. There was n great
deal Of language used not taught in the Sun:
day schools. for nobody wanted to spend
twenty hours In Brunswick; but everybody
ho could. About l o'clock the purser an
nounced that a special boat would leave at 9
O'clock. and that everybody would have TO go.
The first cabin passengers had cold lunch be-
tween l2 and /, but tho steerage passengers
had nothing.
When we were all embarked for FernandiEa
the two Italian children began 10 howl for all
their lungs were worth, and the little woman
was greatly distressed because she could not
pacity them. ] went over to her and asked
whats the matter, arc they hungry"
pnt sb1 atared at me lDprlcssly and shrugged