Evening star., 1904-03-16
COMING FROM ITALY
IN TIDE OF IMMIGRA-
TON TO THIS COUNTRY.
First of Series of Reports on the Sub
ject to the Department Of COM
merce and Labor.

The Department of Commerce and Labor
publishes in the consular reports today
report upon emigration to the United
States from United States Consul Byington
of Naples Italy. This is the first of
series of reports to be published from time
to time These reports are sent in re-
sponse to a series of questions prepared
by the Department of Commerce and
Labor through it's bureau of statistics,
which is now charged with the publication
and distribution of consular reports on
commercial and kindred subjects. The in
quiries were framed with the purpose not
only of determining as far as practicable
the character of immigration at the present
time, but of comparing present conditions
with those of 1900, the year iii which
series of consular reports on emigration to
the United States was published by the
Department of State through it's bureau of
foreign commerce. then in charge of the
publication and distribution of consular re-
ports.
Emigration From Italy.
In his report Mr.. Byington says that emf
grafton to the United States from Naples
has been decidedly on the increase during
recent years. For example, the number of
emigrants during the fiscal year 1S99-1900
was S2,601; in 1900 to 1901 the number in
creased to 109, POS, in 1901 to 1902 to 49,,
Al; and last year the figures reached $780,
OIL. In comparison with the emigrants to
the United States, the movement from
Italy to other countries is small and is
practically confined to emigration to South
American countries. The increase in the
movement to the United States is due prin-
cipally to the diminished Brazilian immigra-
ton, owing to difficult economic and COM
mercial conditions in that republic to the
scarcity of work in Argentine, Uruguay
and Paraguay, and to the prevalent idea
among Italians that in the United States
employment can always be found with good
pay, that living is comfortable and cheap,
as far as necessities are concerned, and
that all laboreiS are treated like free men,
The wages paid to Italians in America seem
magnificent as compared with the miser-
able pittance of the poor contadino fire.
quently paid in part in bad maize which
likely enough produces the disease pellagra
that has made such havoc among italian
peasants.
The average emigrant to tie United States
Is fair representative of the Italian peas
ant. He is willing and quick to learn, but
IS deplorably ignorant. OF late the propor-
ton of Italians has increased. The improve
>ment is much more marked in the north of
Italy than in the south. The majority of
enigrants are Roman Catholics and very
few pauperS or beggars are found among the
Naples emigrants. Although the average
Italian peasant is comparatively understood
he is muscular, hardy and fit for the per-
forrnance of heavy manual labor His
healthful appearance is often marked by a
SKIN tanned by exposure to the sun.
Personal Habits and Cleanliness.
Consul Byington says that as to the habits
and cleanliness of the person and dress,
there is much left to be desired. An absence
Of the habit of bathing is evident, and the
emigrants who present themselves for de-
parture almost invariably carry cheese and