The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-08-20
Voice of
the People
Italian Immigration.

Editor or Tho Times. Dlspatch:
Sir,--.rhere has been good deal Of dis
cusslon on the subject Of Italian Inn
migration pf late, and writer's under
various MONS do plume. have expressed
their views pro and con. Will YOU al
low plain citizen to give expression
to his oplnion7 Some one writing as.
senex was asked by Il later writer II
nc had ever seen an italian in the pens
4itentln,S.Bor nln1shouse. Such nh Inter
rogatIon seems to mo one TINT Is easily
answered. There is all Italian In our pon-
filentlary serving a life sentence for MUIR
der lie was pointed out to me BY one
81 OF the guards. How many more there
are can readily be found out from the
superintendent Of tho penitcntlary. en-
close you herein two clippings from The
Washington Post Of the same issue. One
you will notice tells Of the arrest Of an
Italian for the murder OF Nh American
In Pennsylvania, whom he had "mls-'35
taken" for another man. i read not long
ago OF another American being stabbed
IN the back by an italian who had mis- 1
taken him for another man. This looks
like pretty piece OF business, when
any American Iaflnb1c o be assassnhted {
by some Italian who afterwards pleads
he mistook him for another man. The
other clipping tells OF the pursuit ct an
italian BY his Victims son, who came
from Italy to find him. This man assassl-
mated his victim for pol tical reaso ~
Cur State would BE in fine condition
Of anarchy Il political demonstrations !
should become the order Of the day. The 4
election OF Montague or Martin would be
decided by n survival Of the flttest
If%you will allow me to say so, you t
and tho editor Of the News Leader mi Y
take very much the TEMPER OF the great
mass Of our people in advocating ltaliah \
OF course ! am q native
born, white sVirgnian, and Il have been
through a good part OF Piedmont Vir-
GINA recently, and some time ago through
Tidewnter Virginia, and u found the peo-
pie to man opposed to Italian imml-
ton. You endeayor$lto make little
OF the objections raised to- such immi-
grafton, but arc you Justified by the
facts? Il say this with all due respect
to your good Judgment, but editors are
as liable to- error as anyone else In New
England last sulf,mer. ! found the same
prejudice against Italians as exist here
and New England is oyerrun with them.
IAN Individual may 5s tai Ike IS s up prejudlces
which are unjust, but It looks 70 me that
d great mass Of people OF varying habits
OF thought and beliefs would not act in
tHlS
case OF murder by an italian is stated
as an exception, but any reader of north
ern papers will find in almost every Is
sue a page OF exceptions IT Is my
conscientious belief. that the editors OF
our papers are sowing dragons teeth In
their rresistent efforts to effect de-.
r.1and for something virgnians have not,
wanted and do not want now #5s
BY This thing Of Importing cheap foreign
labor ncans cutting our ma tivc-b born me-
ifchanics and workmen out Of employ
iment. i believe heartily in an editor hay
Ing tie courage to express his convictions.
but In this It appears you are setting
Yourself squarcly against every sentiment
and tradition dear to tho hearts OF Vir-
ginians. Sometimes things called pre-
tudices are good In their way. a prejudice
against something shurtful or }dlshonorable
has kept many n man out OF trouble,
Very respectfully. isis6 aG
J.. DOHERTY, III
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