The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-28
An Italian-American Republic.

Fortunately for those Italians who desire
to come to this country but may be ex.
cluded therefrom by reason Of illiteracy,
there Ia another American republic In which
their presence is much desired, and In which
many tens Of thousands Of them have found
homes within recent years. We mean that
broad country Of immeasurable resources,
the republic Of Argentina.
So great has been the immigration into
Argentina from Italy in later times, and
30 great is 1t at this time, hat we are justi.
fed In expecting, before very long, the pre-.
dominance Of the Italian element over the
Spanish element In the population, and tho
consequent Transformation Of the largest Of
the Spanish American republics into an
Italian.American republic.
For the ten years preceding 1904, the
number Of foreign immigrants who entered
Argentina exceeded one million, the
great majority OF them being Italians.
Within the past two years the volume OF
italian immigration has been greater than
at any previous time, and last year its mag.
nitude far surpassed hat of the preceding
year. We have not yet received the official
statistics for all Of 1896, but we have them
w oohhN "a 10 III vi tucy dTc BUT
prising. In October last, thirty Italian
ships, carrying steerage passengers, left one
italian port, the port Of Genoa, for Buenos
Ayres and Montevideo, and nearly As many
other passenger-carrying ships, bound for
the same destination, left Naples and Pa
lermo. From such statistics as we possess
We estimate that the number OF Italian i'm.
migrants who entered Argentina last year
exceeded o 10000. This IL a movement of
population great enough to affect both Italy
and Argentina. It has alarmed the italian
Government, and a proposition was recently
brought forward for the Limitation Of tho
number of passengers permitted to take
their departure for South America. All
the able-bodicd, arms-bearing men In Italy
may at any time be needed at home for
the military service.
The reason that Is given In Italy for tho
especial favor that is now accorded to Ar.
gentina by the departing population, is tina
Italian immigrants to the United States
have not been welcomed in recent years. 1t
10 complained that there Is a prejudice
against Italians In this country, that they arc
made the victims Of wrong In some places,
and that a large proportion Of them arc
unable to find employment. In Argentina,
on the contrary, 90 1t Is alleged, there Is not
any anti-Italian feeling, and laborers there
can nearly always find suitable employment
upon the extensive public works which
are In process OF construction. Accounts of
the grievances suffered by the Italians In
the United States, and of the good pros
poets for them In Argentina, are frequently
published In the italian newspaper, per-
haps sometimes at the instance of the Ar.
gentine Government, which has carried out
a number Of important measures for the
encouragement Of italian immigration.
Let the tide Of immigration from Italy
flow strongly for q few years longer toward
Argentina, and the new italian element
there will 30 greatly predominant over the
old Spanish element that 1t must, In the ma
ture OF things, acquire at least the numer.
ical a~scendenoy. That will possibly imply
the Transformation OF the southernmost
Spanish.American country into an italian
American country. II is q change that may
occur before, or soon after, tho opening Of
the twentieth century. 1t would Seem that
1t Is bound to come, unless the Government
at Rome shall put a stop to tho departure
OF the Kings subjects for the nsw land To
which they are invited. Italy could well
spare millions Of her impoverished popula-
ton; Argentina has room for them and
possesses resources sufficient to enable them
all to procure a livelihood. So large L. the
country, and so highly enriched Is II by ma
ture, that 1t could easily take In all the
subjects of ltaly's King. with advantage to
the most Of them.
The italian immigrants into Argentina
have greatly sdvanced the wsll-bsing Of