The times., 1901-05-20
MORE ITALIAN IMMIGRANTS.
Laws for Their ProtectioH by the
HONG Government.


NEW YORK. May 19-ItalIan immigra-
tion into this country is increasing. Twen-
ty thousand more came last year than the
year before BY far the largest proportion
OF these. in fact, 5000 out of 3.000 speak
ing roughly were day laborers without
any trade, Next TO this class in number
comes that of the farm labOrers. number
ing about 5.eo0. who went to farms In
Louisiana. California. and New Jersey.
More than half OF these Italians stayed in
the State of New York the next largest
number going to Pennsylvania. AS for
the proportion that returns 70 Italy. said
the Italian Vice Consul. that is steadily
growing smaller. and you must remember
that many of those who return come back
here again. and only go home ct the sea-
son when there is no work for them here.
The fact that those who are here mean TO
stay is shown in the number Of women and
little children who are continually arriving
from the other side. The Italians do not
send for their women and children unless
they mean to settle down."
The Society for the Protection OF Itai-
ian immigrants does not intend to confine
it's efforts to helping the immigrants after
their arrival in this country, but purposes
to furnish them with information and help
before they leave home To this
end the mayors or syndics. as they are
called. of all the Italian towns in Gala
bria, Sicily. and the region about Naples,
which are the districts that furnish the
majority of the immigrants, viii be pro-
vided with pamphlets containing informa-
ton about this country. and. in particu-
lar. directions as to what they may ex-
pect and what they should do o. arri-
val here, and the amount of their rail-
way fares to whatever part of this coun-
Try they are going.
At least 80 per cent of the Italian i'm
migrants come over here to join some rel
alive or friend, and have some situation
ready for them. but even these people ara
SO misdirected and cheated that they are
generally robbed Of most Of their saw
ings. and, of course, those who arrive
here friendless are even more helpless.
The society is moving slowly in its work
and is attempting to collect a fund of at
| least $4,000 before undertaking TO put into
practical form any of it's three principal
objects-having man or woman at the
barge Office to meet the immigrants, the
establishment of a labor bureau, and the
opening Of a lodging-house.
The society is being helped in its work
by the new emigration law in Italy. by
which some of the worst abuses at the
Italian end of the problem are remedied.
Among other things, by this law the
Bank Of Naples is directed tc establish
branch in New York with a capital OF
100000 lire (about s4OO.000). in order to
give the immigrants a safe agent for the
sending of their money back and forth
This depOSiting and sending home OF the
earnings of the Italians on this side has
been hitherto in the hands OF small pri-
vate bankers. many of them thoroughly
dishonest and unScrupulOuS- One-half Of
the profits of this branch bank viii be
laid aside to establish fund for its con-
tfnuance and maintenance, and the
other half, after the Government
has been repaid for its outlay, will
go into a fund for the purpose of
protecting the interests of the immi-
grants The Italian Government has also.
ings for the immigrants previous to their
embarkation. at such ports as Genoa.
Naples. and Palermo, and, above all. has
made the steamship lines entirely re-
sponsible for the kind of immigrants they
accept as passengers
The system Of agents is abolished and
the steamship companies are obliged TO be
their own agents in the matter Of getting
immigrants. Formerly. the rascally
agents would get together a large number
of Italians of all sorts and kinds, number
being their only object, and would offer
them to the steamship company charging
the lowest rate Then they would charge
the immigrants the highest rate and
pocket the difference. There has naturally
been much opposition to this law among
these agents, as well as among the small
bankers who took charge OF the immi-
grants money here In New York.
This law goes into effect in two or three
months, so that at present the agents are
sending in ali the immigrants they can
collect before their harvest time is over.