New-York tribune., 1907-07-07

The wages OF 6 TO francs Cs1 % 20 81 COZ a day
IN America have removed moro OF Italys working
force than Is desired How thoroughly tho once
overpopulated parts OF Southern Italy have been
cepopulated was forciby illustrated TO members
or the commission in journeys through Sicily and
CalabTia- From every village visited some per-
sons had gone to America, and IN several cases
towns which once contained several thousand per-
sons had been entirely deserted by tho men be-
only women, children and old mon remained. ono
village IN Sicily, near Messua, which few years
ago had n population Of about six thousand now
contains only eighteen hundred women. children
and old men. Tho remainder have EOuo TO Amer
lca The town is supported by tho earnings OF
thoso VINO have Eono u tho New World TO fnd
their fortunes.
TIE following statement. made by Adolfo Rossi
Royal Italian Commissioner OF Emigration. ono Of
the best informed students OF human migration
Shows the attitude OF tho Italian government toward
the emigration of Italys citizens:
The landlords ask for greater resr rictlon of .nt
grafton. Tho Italian government favors restric-
tion, but cannot secure tho absolute cessation OF
emigration because OF the clause IN the constItU-
ton guaranteeing freedom Of movement and the
higher wage scale prevailing in the United States.
The best practicable method OF reducing oInigra-
ton Will be the DEVELOPMENT Of Industries In ItaI
We have new law which provides that any man
ufacturer in Southern Italy shall be exempt from
taxation FOR from ten 20 twenty years. according
TO the mature OF the industry For the last fifteen
or twenty years emigration has been good Italy
on account OF overpopuIation but 1t IS now too
large for In some Of tho southern provinces we
nave the danger Of depopulauon. This large emf
grafton Is the ruin Of the small propr!ctors as they
cannot cultivate their land. 1t has provided good
market for their land and made It more valuable.
however, because many returning cnigrants have
had the money ana the desire buy parcels FOR
themselves. Many emlgrants come back with Sc 0oa
or 5000 and buy land, but after two or three years
tney get tired OF Italy and want to go back TO the
United States
For fifteen or twenty years the majority Of our
cl:hgrantS have been going account OF poverty
Ihey had 10 find bread for their mouths. But to-
day this Is not the There is food and shelter
ior every one They are going 70 make money, not
TO get q piece Of bread
Our laws, which so into effect soon Will
contain provisions which it is hoped viii result in
a smaller emigration. They aimed at
strlcton At present there are 1900 agents OF the
steamship companies working in Italy. Each
steamship company IS entitled to have a repre-
sentative In each mandamertn, or district
taining twelve or fifteen villages Under the
law they will be permitted to have only ono IN
each circondario or district of from twenty 20
solicit outside his district. Now agents pay moth
ing for the privilege Of soliciting business Under
the new law they viii be obliged to deposit from
$1,000 TO 81 900 IN order to secure the government
against violations Of tho law, The new law will
also require steamships bringing Italians from the
United states to submit to tho same regulations as
those taking emgrants. including the provision
that there shall be commission with power
board"
One of the questions which the commission in
quired into in Southern Italy and Sicily the
emigration Of criminals and undesrables, as de
scribed by the American law. TO the United States
Senator Latimer and congressman Bennett ana
Burnett the members OF the commission who
went through Sicily. That Sicily Is infested with
brigands appears to be common belief. The
Scllian brigand became a subject for laughter be-
fore the commission had travelled far in the tri-
angular island. Whenever the question asked.
Are there In your neighborhood any OF the ban
dts have heard much about?' replies such
these received:
"A few years ago there brigands in some
parts of the island, but they have disappeared"
There in our section, hut at Palermo
there may be some.'
''They in America
One seemed TO up with the alleged
bandits. One day. while crossing the rolling
navel" the heart OF Sicily is called several
horscmen with rifles were
There are the brigands' said, with
laugh. They might just well have been mount
ed policemen brigands In fact, only could
be learned of who could be claSsed n brigand.
and he said TO have been captured recently. !
A few years ago there bandits in Sicily and
among the picturesque hills OF Caabria. They used
to call upon the peasants to give them food and
warn the peasants that If their presence re- |
vealed to the officials, friends equipped with guns
would call the following evening. Under such con-
ditions II difficult to capture the outlaws. |
When law was passed authorizing the shooting |
of those who gave food to the bandits progress
made in breaking up brigandage
In many towns amusing commentary the |
of Sicily and Calabria found An |
intelligent young Sicilian at Sracusa. who had !
Learned to speak English wsll was asked II he ex-