The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-26
ITALY SEEKS JUSTICE
DESIRES LAWS FOR PROTECTION
OF FOREIGNERS.
TOO MANY ITALIANS LYNCHED.
UNITED STATES COURTS SHOULD
HAVE JURISDICTION.

Italian Ambassador Is Seeking to
Have the Federal Statutes Amend
ed for This Purpose-Not a Matter
of Money Indemnity With Italy.
She Assures Full Protection to
Americans within Her Territory
and Feels That We should Do the
Same.
Washington, Dec. 2.-The Italian
government has been renewing it's eff
forts of late with the authorities at
Washington to have our federal stat
utes so extended as to protect foreign
ers in cases arising within the juris-
diction of states, thus giving a Federal
remedy for lynchings and like ARRAYS
directed against Italians, such as have
occurred in Louisiana, Colorado and
Mississippi. The new ambassador,
Signor Mayor des Planches, took up
this question, which had arisen in con-
nection with the lynchings Of several
Italian citizens at Erwin. Miss, imme-
diately on his arrival here.
In this connection, Signor Mayor
said to-day:
Under the treaty which exists be-
tween Italy and the United States
the citizens of each country are guar
anteed the fullest protection while re-
siding in the other country. In the case
of Americans residing in italy they
have exactly the same rights, the same
protection, the same recourse to the
courts that an italian, subject enjoys.
In the case of Italians residing in the
United States, the treaty assures them
the same rights and protection given
to American citizens. But, unfortu-
nately, this expression of the treaty. so
far as it relates to Italians in this
country, is somewhat theoretical, for
under the American systems which linn
its the federal authority over states.
the central government is not
able to give effect to the
guarantee laid down by the treaty. We
fully recognize the difficulties of this
situation, which have been as appar-
ent to the statesmen of this country
as they have been to those of Italy.
We have hoped this would bring about
the enactment of a law which would
permit the federal government to carry
out the guarantee of treaties. This
would be genuine remedy for affairs
similar to those which have occurred
in Louisiana and Mississippi and would
prevent the periodical agitation over
cases arising in the states. AS these
cases arose they would be assured CT
attention under the federal authority,
with careful regard for the execution
of treaty obligations.
Not Demand for Indemnity.
''Since the recent lynchings at Err
win, Miss, there has been more or less
discussion of the payment of a money
indemnity. But in the view of the
italian government the question of in
demnity does not enter into the case
There will be no suggestion coming
from us, much less a demand, for a
cash indemnity. The Italian does not
seek blood money. At the same time
the families of the victims, who are
the ones most directly affected, natu-
rally are willing to listen to suggestions
of monetary indemnity and when
these suggestions are voluntarily made
by the state or federal authorities, we
can do nothing more than be the me-
dunn for considering them in behalf
of our people. But such indemnities
are to the people affected and not to
the Italian government. which feels
that there is a far greater question
involved than any financial return to
individuals. 1t is the real and the per-
manent remedy of having the federal
laws give to Italian subjects the pro-
lection guaranteed in our treaties that
we desire. and it is to this end that
my exchange of views are tending
rather than to the payment of special
indemnities in special cases. What
the Italian government desires is a
system covering all cases."