The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-12-01
ITALY INTERESTED
IN PANAMA CANAL

Rome. Dec. 1.-Italy is following
with the greatest interest everything
connected with the Panama canal,
which is considered a work worthy of
the ancient Romans. The opening Of
the canal will affect Italy, above all,
in its principal expectation, namely,
emigrants. In Colombia. Ecuador,
Peru, Bolivia and Chill, new fields of
activity will be found for them and,
furthermore, the emigration to the
western coast Of Mexico. the United
States and Canada will be increased.
Already several Italian lines are pre-
prlng lines of navigation. Also, it is
calculated that once the means of
transportation is facilitated. Italian
exports to South America will be at
least doubled, while those for the
western coast of Mexico, the United
States and Canada will increase
greatly.
When the Suez canal was finished,
Italian emigration was very limited
and did not reach 100, 900 a veal, but
between 1876 and 1856 the annual av-
erage had become $4,000. Between
1886 and 1900 that number was doub-
led, and from 1900 it has reached an
average of 100000 while in 1906, the
highest year on record. the emigrants
were 1921. tIn 1912 they were 70S,-
$50, and this year they may surpass
IN umberS those of 1906.
An average of half this emigration
goes across the Atlantic-the greater
part being absorbed by the United
States. This trans-oceanic tide in
1906 numbered 440,33S, of whom &c.,
916 went to America, 114,81S to the
Argentine, Uruguay and Paraguay.
and only 1915 to Brazil, as emigra-
ton there was prohibited by the Itali-
an government. What remains, mere
ly 1899, went to the other countries
of the American continent. The same
proportion as that of the record year
1906, occurs in other years, so that in
1912, out of 312.210 trans-oceanic emil
grants, 208,447 went to the United
States. 59.308 to the River Platte, 49,
48S to Brazil. and the remainder,
1858. to other countries.
A study of Italian emigration is in
teresting and necessary in order to
follow the development and direction
Of Italian commerce, as the commerce
Of Italy, as a rule, has followed the
poor e~migTants, so the saying that
trade follows the flag, can be modi-
fed for Italy as trade follows the
rags" Of her migratory sons. For two
years the figures Of italian imports
and exports have surpassed $1,000
600, 900. The foreign office here, at the
end of 1911. published statistics show
ing that the Italian imports and ex-
ports had so increased as to surpasS
prOportionately the increase of any
other@country.
Putting at 100 the imports and ex-
ports Of each country in 1898, it was
calculated that at the end of 1910 that
De''eT Imports aa0 risen AS E 515tH%s:
Italy ........ 243 United States . 226
Belgium 900. 237 Italy ......... 224
Germany .... 207 Germany ..... 224
Imports. Exports.
United States. 100 Belgium ...... 2O4
England 49,. 162 England ......~165
france ...... 152 France ,....... 161
Therefore, Italy surpassed all other
leading countries, with the exception
of the United States. which in exports
only was 2 per cent higher. This won
derful increase will be augmented
with the opening of the new water
way.
Figures will demonstrate this better
than words. Italian exports to the
United States are $4,000. 900, equal to
1874 per cent Of her total exports, an
amount which is surpassed only by
Germany and Switzerland where the
Italian expectation is respectively
14.7 and 13.1 per cent. In the same
way, the American importation into
Italy is 1871 per cen of the total i'm
pots, being surpassed only by Ger
many with 16.9 and by Great Britain
with 1911.
Italian expectation to the Argentine
is $31,0OO.o00 yearly, equal to TT per
cent; to Brazil. $4,000. 900, or 1.3 per
cent; to Canada, $2,736.000, Or 071s
per cent; to Uruguay, 81 $500, 900, or
o. per cent; to Central America, ST.
Eli 900, or 0.4 per cent. to Mexico,
$500, 200, or OF per cent. Notwith-
standing the difficulties, before the
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