Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-02-08
ITALIAN LABOR
 IS A FAILURE John M. Oracle Says They Are IT rates and Ot un settled Disposition.
REENr.AGzING NEGROES
Natives of Sunny Italy Were tive" Every Convenience on Planta'iohs
 But They Left.


 But They Left.
 After years of experimenting With the hest Italian labor possible on ms cotton plantations in this county Col John NJ. Oracle of New Gascony, hds arrived at the conclusion that except as laborers. pure and simple the sons of sunny Italy are absolute failures. II am free to say, after my lohe experience with them that as whole they are a people who care nothing for their contracts. and that they are money-mad, with no though but TOT the dollar. I have replaced a large majority of them with negroes TOT whom I displaced the negroes three years ago That l am deeply dlsap- pointed with them I will admit, said Mir. Oracle, when pressed for state ment regarding the rumor that num- Der of the Italians whom he went to Italy for have gone to other sections of the state and to Italy after work ing on his plantation for year or two .2s Y.
 Finds Them Ingrates.
 The experience of Mir. Oracle has been that the Italians, while they are good cotton laborers, are ingrates or the deepest dye and that they care nothing for the property rights of others, and the dollar is their sole desire
 It is shown by Mr. Gracie's record that the Italians made 9 per cent more cotton on the same amount or ground this past year on his places than did the negroes, and that they save their money, but aside from this they are practically worthless They appear to have no idea of fair bus mess methods and can not conceive of the other man having any rights Tn the malIer
 A number of Italians who have been on the Oracle plantations for some time have gone elsewhere at con- siderable cost to themselves, and are paying more rent for land while they might have remained where they were and where they this past year made of
 John M. Oracle went to Italy sev- eral times and saw the people who later came to America. They came to this state and some of them after staying a short time departed, leaving Mir. Oracle with the expenses of the undertaking to pay. In some cases the people did not have sufficient funds with which to move and he aided them, in some instances donat ing enough to tide them over the move
 A chapel has been erected on the plantations. physician secured, 2 priest employed and each family had a comfortable house and in some in- NN
 stances as much as $2,000 was made this past year by one family. Yet they have determined to either go back t( Italy or elsewhere. and the negroe: have been put in their places.
 Will Not Colonize.
 An effort was made to colonize then but this proved to be failue. Col Oracle and others offered to sell then such amounts of land as they desired at prices which might be agreed up on. but they with one accord declare' they did not want to purchase lant and that after time they propose to return to Italy. The younger mem bers of the families, after living her year do not desire to return, bu seem to become possessed of the ide that 'just over the hill' more none is to be made and easier condition will obtain.
 Mir. Oracle hears all complaint from his people. not delegating thi to his overseers, and in many in stances he has been known to alloy the abrogation of contract rathe than to cast a hardship upon one o his people,
 The women of the Italian familie do not desire to return to Italy O to go elsewhere in the United States being pleased with the idea of makini home for themselves in this land O opportunity and they have made al possible efforts to induct the men t remain in one place. and accumulat something.
 Mir. Oracle is greatly disappointe with the Italians.
 r n \