Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-09

dale Sonoma county, consisting Of over
1900 acres of land, which In 1881 supported
two men and SEQ sheep, IS today giving
rectly to over 1000 people, and its wines
are known throughout the world. Cali
fornia has the same climate and soil as
that Of Italy. 1t is one third larger. Whilst
Italy supports $500, O0O OF people we have
not yet reached the two million mark
Therefore, it is to our interest to encourage
healthy, thrifty, strong people to our state.
l have heard some one say that the Italian
immigrant is undesirable because he comes
then returns to Italy. This is an unfair
prejudice, not warranted by the facts. 1
know from my own experience in Califor-
MIA for the past fifty years that not per
cent of the Italians who have come here
have returned to Italy to remain. Some of
them do return home after they have made
some money, but most of them go to bring
their families to this country.
Character of italian Immigrants.
1T is true that the italian immigrant,
when he lands from his ship, is in many
cases uncouth, and in some cases illiterate,
but he soon assimilates with the other peo-
pie Of the country, generally raises fam
lily, and, feeling the disadvantage of the
want OF an education himself, devotes his
whole energy to see that his children re-
ceive a good education. We have several
these children in our state.
Mr.. F. M. Angellottf, the son of an illit-
crate Italian fisherman, was recently elect
ed judge of the supreme court. We have in
San Francisco number of good lawyers
bankers and heads of large business houses
M. j. Fontana, who came here when little
boy and engaged in the humble position of
a bootblack is now at the head of the
California Fruit Gamers Association. the
largest establishment of that trade in the
world.
las to the criminalty Of the italian i'm
l beg to call your attention to the
following paragraph, which is taken from
the bureau of education, 7 circular Of in
formation No. 4, entitled the Abnormal
Man, which gives some statistics about
In speaking of the nationality
OF these criminals it states; 'Forty-two per
cent were natives of the state and 40 per
cent were natives Of other states This
will confirm the well-known migratory ten
dency In criminals. Eleven per cent were
from Ireland, per cent each from Ger
many and Canada 4 per cent from England
and Wales, / per cent from Italy, eight
tenths per cent from other countries In
to the education of prisoners 1t
was found that ID per cent could neither
read nor write, l per cent claimed to have
been to college, 4 per cent in the high
schools and academies, 4S per cent in gram
mar grades of public schools and 20 per
cent in private elementary schools. This
tends to show that it is not the illiterate
inals. -,..
Il do not believe that yau would find any
Italians in any almshouse tor public hos
pital in the state Of Louisiana In all of
the American towns and cities where Ital-
ians reside in any considerable number
there exist mutual benefit societies, the
members Of which pay 81 month"; and
whenever member is sick he is taken care
Of by the society. If member should be-
come incurable a collection Is made among
his countrymen, passage at half-fare is OBJ
tanned from the steamship company and the
is sent home. In New Orleans
there are many wealthy Italians who take
care of their sick, and only recently one of
these. Captain Salvatore Pizzati. donated
SIS, 600 for the erection of an orphan asylum
in New Orleans The Italians generally are
from being charges on the public save their
and help to build UP the country"