Evening journal., 1906-11-06
ITALIAN TAKING
PLACE OF NEGRO
Swarlhy Son Of italy is Found
Less ETralic and More
Reliable

The Italian is rapidly dispiacing che
negro in the large gangs employed liy
sity contractors in the prosecution q
tasks involving nard manual labor. II
was once a familiar sight to see hundreds
cf black mon. with their white foremcn.
swinging their sledges or tearing up no
streets In repairing the tracks; but nov
even cursory giance at the bodies OF
aen engaged IN similar tasks IS sufnciont
,o show that the swarthy son Of itt!y
is rtpldiy dlsplaclns the type which has
- long been the burden-beurer OF all
races
The negro Is not being eliminated: he
is eliminating himself He g not being
diUr;minsied against; he is. rathcr.
showing an lndlspositon 10 labor faith
fully ana consistently at one task. BY
nature he is more or less migratory
happy. care-free living for the day
alone, Indifferent to any disturbing pos.
sibilities OF the morrow lie Is happy al
his work happy in his idleness. There
is melody IN his soul even IN the mo
ments Of hardest labor. and many time,
when cars have been held up on the
streets TO permit some bit OF track con-
struction ahead the delay has been made
pleasureable TO the waiting passengers
by the weird chants OF the negroes aa
their siedses rose and fell In rhythmic
motion.
"The italian ds the moro conslsten,
worker" said 4 foreman % a gang as M
stood by watching his men at some al.
loted task Sometimes ! think the ne.
gro is hoginnlng 70 feel that he Is abov,
the pick, shovel end slcdge Possibly b,
is getting more ambitious; but, anyhow
where It once was possible to get a ne.
gro 20 work for 81 day, he now want,
81. and won't work II ne can't get Il
The trouble have found Is. that n,
only long enough 70 get a little spending
money. then he LAYS on Until Il Is gone
then he Is back He thinks nothing o.
laying up something for the future III
likes 10 live. Some Of the lunches thes,
black fellows bring here arc better thar
most clerks and some buslness men get
some bring whole pies. and pastries o
all kinds are very popular with them.
The Italan. on tho other hand. work.
with definite object IN view. TIL
chances arc he has come 10 this countr.
because he believes fortunes are easil,
made here He has probably left a fam
ily on the other SIDE. and he may b
planning to send Tor his wife and chIl
dren. or else Intends 70 go back TO them
! So he works with A dehnite object .
view. He lives on next to nothing sub
sists frugally, lives with dozen or MOI
OF his kind IN a few rooms. and hoard
/ up every cent he can lie doesn't war
to lose his job he works mechanical,
hour after hour. with no ietup and care
nothing for time He would as 500
work 15 hours a day as eight n he WEI
TO get paid FOR IT, He seldom gets 81
cited and Is easier to direct .han the n
gro. Put one OF his countryncn over hlr
and you have only one man 10 deal viii
whereas the negro brooks no dictatls
\ from one Of his own race.
''The black man. however. can DO mol
work than the italian II he wants I
He will work at wild frenzy. once yc
get him pitched up TO n, and will a
complish really a surprielng amour
Strangely enough he prefers the sled
to the pick and shovel. implements whic
he seems to think beneath him. and
only for the Italian. Tho nesro is mo
ambitious. as rule, than 20 work
the street He wants to get In a priva
family as a butler or a doorman. or som
thing like that He prefers being wait
in a restaurant. To him there is mo
gentliity IN doing tasks like that. and II
easier work. To put Il brief. the neg
{ IS like good many white men--iookii
for clnch. That is one Of the reaso
why he is not so predominant In sire
gangs as ne once was. Because OF !
dlsincllnatDon and his general rnrei
biiity those who have occasion TO ef
! ploy men FOR Ions, hard tasks at manu-
labor ind the Italian more trustwort
and efficient. The black man is entire
too errauc. Maybe II is for his o'
good. / don't know" .