The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-08-25
ITALIAN LABORERS
Experience on Louisiana
Plantations.
The Only Race That Can Success
fully Compsts With Negroes In
Semi tropical Cnmes.

NEW ORLEANS. August 1.-The
lynching of the five Italians at Tallu-
lah. La, and the ordering away OF the
other Italians in Madison parish may
temporarily check the Italian immigra-
tion into North Louisiana and thereby
interrupt movement which is having
an extraordinary influence on LOuisi-
ana and promises to hasten a solution
of the color, or race. question. The in
terruption, though, Is likely to be only
temporary.
The Italians seem to be the only
race that can labor successfully and
compete with the negro in the semi
tropical climate Of Louisiana. They
have been arriving for the last twenty
years at the rate of many thousands
each year, and the census soon to be
taken will show that largely because
Of this immigration districts and par
ishes which formerly had a large ma
jority OF negroes are now white.
Among these are Plaquemine, Assump-
ton, TerrebOnne, Iberia and st. John.
The Italian immigration has naturally
been largest in Southern Louisiana In
the territory around New Orleans,
where there Is already large Latin
population. Thence 1t has spread into
the northern parishes. where 1t has
met with a far from hearty welcome;
but the Italians seem to have the pa
thence and perseverance Of the Chinese,
enduring persecution and overcoming
prejudice by mere persistence.
No better evidence could be present
ed OF this triumph over bitter preju-
thav fo fn,,nA riohf harn I'm Maui
Orleans. The Parish prison lynching
OF eight years ago was blow from
which many thought the Italian colony
Of New Orleans would never recover.
Perhaps 5000 or 5000 Italians left New
Orleans then, seeing no hope or future
for themselves here and settled in
Memphis, st. Louis, Chicago and at
other points. But the Italians have
lived down the Hennessy assassination
and the discredit of the Malta, and
have more than regained their former
position. The Italian colony OF New
Orleans has doubled in numbers since
the Parish prison lynching affair, and
in wealth and standing has advanced
far more. 1t has taken the first place
among the foreign population OF New
Orleans. There are now two daily ltal-
ian papers in New Orleans, and Signor
Enrico Cavalli, the editor Of one of
them, the lO-Americano, Is the rep
resentative appointed by the Italian
Government to investigate the Tallu-
lab lynching. Schools have been estab-
lished, at which the Italians are taught
not only English but their mother
tongue, and King Humbert, through
the Italian Consul, has contributed hb'
orally to the support OF these schools,
which keep alive love for Italy In the
hearts of its sons.
The status of the Italians has been
very much improved Of late. They
dropped the hand organ long ago, and
they never took to barbering, shoe
cleaning or street work, as In New
York. From cobbling they have
branched out into the manufacture OF
shoes, and they control some OF the
largest factories in the South. The
fruit, vegetable and fish trades they
have absolutely controlled since they
first came, for they are without rivals
in peddling. They are rapidly crowd
ing into the corner grocery business
formerly monopolized by Irishmen anG
Germans, and into nearly all lines
even the learned professions. Latter
" they have been quite conspicuous
in politics.
It is, however, in the country dis
tricts that the Italians are making
themselves most felt. Three-fourth'
of the Italian immigrants are from
Naples or Sicily. They are peasants
accustomed to farm work, and the!
come over here to work on the suga
plantations. They come from limite'
areas even in Sicily aId Naples. TIL
little town OF Coptes EGtellina, TO
instance, has more of its citizens II
Louisiana than at home; and Cesalu
from which came all the men lynche'
in Madison parish the other day, ha
several thousand of Its sons and daugh
tiers in Louisiana. The immigrants ar
with rare exceptions hardy, roDus
race, willing to work and imperviou
10 the climate. The immigration Com
missioner at this port declares tina
the character of the Italians arriving
steadily improving. They find wor
the day they arrive. Some come owe
in the summer, work through tn
grinding season, when wages are higf
and return to Italy In the winter wit
their earnings; but this practice is dy
ing out and a majority or the imml
grants come to stay, learn English. O
something like English, as soon as the
can, and apply for naturalization pa
pers. Not few adopt English name
like Brown, Smith or Jones. In orde
TO be thorough Americans. They do
their picturesque costumes within
week OF their arrival and pick up
cheap imitation OF American dress.
They make good laborers and Civ
perfect satisfaction TO the planter
being Infinitely superior to the M
groes The Louisiana planters hay
been for years trying to get some SUI
stitute for the negroes, who are NJ
trustworthy. The Italians come neal
est 10 fulfilling all conditions, The
are well satisfied with their wages an
save money where the negro cannot
They do not drink, and cause lit