The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-11
THE ITALIAN FARMER
HE IS THE MAN NEEDED BY THE
 SOUTH.
If From Central or Northern Section ei Realm Of Victor Emmanuei,
 so Much the Better.

69ltlmOre, NOEs lV.-kCRCStt--s '. Charles Scott. of Rosedale. Miss. Wno, during a trip to Europe last summer made 8 special study of the itailan farmer as a possible addition to the forces in Southern agriculture. contrip- utes to this weeks issue of The Man ufacturers' Record some conclusions from his study. He says among otner things:
 Tt seems, then. that we must look to Europe for the agricultural labor or which the South is sorely in need. and | 1t is my firm conviction that the Italian farmer, all things considered, Is the | man who can best help us to solve the serious labor problem with which we are now confronted.
 'It will be observed that special ems phasis should be placed upon the word farmer. A sensible man would not em- ploy a physician to try a lawsuit nor a lawyer to attend him through se- rious illness. Why, then, should we expect satisfactory results if we employ a tailor or a baker to make and gather a crop of cotton? Disappointment and disaster await all such foolhardy ex- periments.
 "In securing Italian labor, therefore. for the cotton plantations of the South care should be taken to make contracts with none but agriculturists who come to this country direct from the farms of their native land. If they are from Central or Northern Italy. all the bet ter. True, I am acquainted with some men from the boot" or southern part of Italy, who are good citizens, indus trious, successful and law-abiding, and possibly the farmers of that section might prove satisfactory; but on the whole | would prefer to secure agricul- tural labor from the sections first above mentioned.
 "These men are already good farm ers and on the whole have the right material in them for the making of good American citizens. This. of course, will be later on, after they have lived here long enough to become thoroughly acquainted with our customs and insti- tutions and thoroughly identihed with American interests"
 MT. Scott tells of the success Of Italians in different parts of the coun- try, of the beginning of his own exper- fment with them at Roeedaie, and of the necessity to give them square deal. and adds:
 .sThc South must have a supply of new labor. Manifestly. then, this ex- of supreme importance. His climate. so similar to ours. his industry and frugality. his tenacity and perseverance, and last but not least. his desire to unite his fortunes with ours. all point to his availability. But the success of the experiment depends primarily. in
 my opinion. on the sort of treatment' received by the Italians at the hands of the Southern planter. It is my conviction that if we are wise In our day and generation in the hand ling of this people they will flock to the South in large and ever-increasing numbers.
 .witf, a sufieient supply of reliable labor our continued prosperity Is as- sured, and the South will soon outstrip every other part Of the nation in that always brings out the best efforts Of every competitor. Prior to about ten years ago the largest emi- grafton from Italy was to South Amer lea. Now 1t Is altogether different, about four emigrants coming to the United States for every one that gees to the countries south of us.
 s"There is one thing that should be done as soon as possible. Arrange ments should be made to bring these immigrants from the different Italian ports direct to New Orleans, and per- haps, for the benefit of the Southern States bordering on the Atlantic sea- board, others might be advantageously landed at Charleston, S. c. At present we have only one steamship from Italy to Southern metropolis every three months. The result is most of these people enter the country via New York, where many of them are inclined to re- main. Those who do come South must pay for the long Journey over, the rail- road, thereby adding largely to the ex- pense of transportation.
 Tt now costs about $50 to $32 per capita ocean travel for each adult from, Italy to New York. The railroad fare from that port to this part of the Mis- sissippi Valley Is &2o. so there would he d large saving, as above indicated. if the immigrants were brought directly South, either to New Orleans or Charleston. as the exigencies might de- mand. These people are all poor, and every reduction in the cost of transpor- tation will add materially to the num- Der of immigrants"