New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-18
C0LOEIZTEG ITALIANS.

The movement organized by Bishop Brod-
er}ct MI. yucca and others In this city and else
where for the formation Of agricultural colonies
Of Italian immigrants in this country seems 10
be commendable from some points Of view,
especially since it is not intended IN any way
to encourage immigration to America, but merely
to distribute to the best advantage those who
voluntarily come hither: though IN one particu-
lar it may, as we shall see, be criticised.
Frankly, it is to be wished, for Italy's sake
and our own that the vast and increasing stream
Of Italian migration hither might be in a meas
ure checked; but, If that is not to be effected,
assuredIy the next best thing is to provide for
the distribution of that stream upon it's arrival
at our shores with view at once to the social
and industrial welfare of the immigrants and
to that, also, of the state which they enter.
1t is obviously bad policy for them to settle
In masses in this and other great cities; for
here the labor market is in a chronic state of
congestion, and the tendencies toward assimila-
ton Of alien elements into the American social
and civic system are not always as strong as
elsewhere. Aliens here, even though they
promptly become naturaliZed. are too likely TO
remain aliens In all but the letter of the law,
massed together In foreign colonies in the heart
Of the city The italian community In Man
haitian or Brooklyn is so large that its members
feel no need of becoming Amercanized in Gus
Italian town or city, transplanted as a whole
TO American soil, retaining most of the charac
teristics OF the old country intact That is not
well either for the immigrants or for this couu-
try. Scattered about the country In individual
families or in small groups Of families, they
would enjoy greater prosperity and would, by
being brought into more direct contact with
Americans and American life, be much more
readily conformed to the speech and customs of
their new home. 1t has long been an objection,
and perhaps the strongest objection, TO Chinese
immigration that the Chinese do not become
Americanized, but remain an unassimilated alien
mass. It is not desirable that any other immt-
grants should subject themselves to the same
criticism.
Now, the one ground on which, as it seems to
us, the colonization scheme in question may be
open to unfavorable criticism is that it appears to
contemplate the esta blishment of italian colonies
of considerable size. each forming q complete
community. with It's school, church, stores, etc.
in brief, whole italian village transplanted
to American soil That would simply be trans
ferring TO the country the same undesirable con-
ditions which now exist In the city. Perhaps N
the country such a state of affairs would be less
objectionable than in the city, though from
some points Of view it might be more so. But
what seems most desirable is to abolish and TO
avoid that state Of affairs altogether This
would be done not by creating purely Italian
villages throughout the country but by induc-
Ing Italians. in single families or in small groups
OF Families, to settle in American villages and
rural communities. Fifty or a hundred Italian
tamlnes. grouped upon a tract OF land remote
from other communities, would be 40 much self
centred mat they would probably remain for
many years as alien to American institutions
and IDEAS as though they had remained in Pied
nioii, u oai" orla Scattered among American
families and forming part OF Amer,non com
munities, they would in few vears hacona
thoroughly Auasrdcanized. to their own Tro,t and