[Inclosure.]

The Minister for Foreign Affairs to Mr. Draper.

I deem it my duty to recall the attention of your excellency to certain statements made on February 10 last by Mr. Powderly, Commissioner-General of Immigration in the United States, before the Industrial Commission appointed by Congress and sitting in Washington.

Mr. Powderly having been called upon to speak of the Italian immigration office, formerly established on Ellis Island and now in the Barge Office, declared that he had once already resolved to close said office, having reason to believe that the managing agents of same were in the habit of establishing communications with immigrants prior to the inspection of the latter by the Federal authorities, with the object of aiding the same to evade the United States laws on immigration. I fail to see how Mr. Powderly could have been led to make such a statement, considering that no complaint, supported by proofs, was ever made against the Italian office, and that Chevalier Rossi, director of the same, had repeatedly proved, in the presence of Mr. Powderly himself, that the conduct of the Italian agents had ever been strictly correct under every aspect.

It is quite true that down to a year ago said agents were enabled, through the tacit and friendly assent of the Federal authorities of Ellis Island, to approach immigrants before the latter had received permission to land; but this never gave rise to any complaint, and still less to the abuses to which Mr. Powderly recently thought fit to refer. Had such not been the case, any drawback, however slight, would undoubtedly not have been overlooked when it was proposed, upward of a year ago, to close the Italian office. Moreover, it should be specially remembered that for the last year the Italian agents, acting on strict instruction received from the royal embassy at Washington, have abstained from approaching immigrants unless the same shall have received permission to land. Furthermore, Mr. Powderly has stated that he has heard it repeated that the Italian office was connected with the padrone system; adding, in support of such statement, that a certain Celso Cesare Moreno, resident in Washington, had assured him that the Italian office was simply an agency of the padrones and that many of the things related to him by Moreno, a well-informed person, he had found to be true.

I can not refrain from expressing my sense of wonder that Mr. Powderly, an officer vested with high authority, should have founded his statements on the testimony of said Moreno, an individual who, three years ago, on the action of the Washington Government, was tried and condemned to three months' imprisonment for libel against the Italian ambassador to the United States, his predecessors, and in general against nearly all of the diplomatic and consular authorities in said Republic for having asserted that the same were agents of the padrones residing in New York. Mr. Powderly closed his statement on this matter in the following terms:

"I believe that when our building is erected in Ellis Island we shall be able to take care of every immigrant, and see that he is comfortably lodged and assisted without requiring the aid of any other institution. This shall in fact be done."

It is needless for me to recall the fact that the Italian office was established by joint agreement of the royal embassy at Washington and the United States Government; nor can I understand why Mr. Powderly should consider himself authorized to declare in such an explicit and peremptory manner that said office is to be closed at any date whatsoever.

From a sense of discretion, which will be readily appreciated, I shall not attempt to discuss the statements made by Mr. Powderly. Be it the duty of the United States Government to sift them and determine the degree of importance to be attributed to the same.

The royal embassy at Washington will be simply instructed by me to represent in a friendly manner to the Federal Government how beneficial and disinterested in its action the Italian office has proved, and how every care is taken at all times that nothing be done which is not in accordance with the local laws on immigration. The upright character of Chev. Rossi, director of the office, and the sincerity of the instructions received by him from the royal embassy at Washington, leave me no room to doubt that all cause for misunderstanding will shortly be removed, and that the benevolent efforts of the Italian office will at no time meet with any obstacle to their free development.

As your excellency is aware of the efforts made by the King's Government to regulate in a satisfactory manner the tide of immigration toward the United States, I should consider it highly important if you would kindly communicate your own views on the matter to your Government.

I tender this request with full confidence in the result, and the firm conviction

that the Italian office of Ellis Island is worthy of every support, because it is honestly managed, and of like usefulness to the interests of both countries.

I take this opportunity, etc.,

Count Vinci to Mr. Hay.

[Translation.]

ITALIAN EMBASSY, Washington, June 20, 1899.

MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: I have the honor to address your excellency, calling your attention to some statements made on the 10th of January last by Mr. Powderly, Commissioner-General of Immigration for the Treasury Department, before the Industrial Commission, now in session in this city.

Mr. Powderly, being requested to speak of the Italian immigration bureau now established at the Barge Office in New York, said that he had at one time thought of suppressing that bureau because he had reason to think that the agents sent out by it were accustomed to come into contact with the immigrants before the latter had been inspected by the Federal authorities, with a view to assisting them to avoid obeying the United States immigration laws.

The Commissioner-General added, moreover, that he had heard it said that the Italian bureau was in league with the padrone system, and by way of corroborating this statement he added that one Celso Cesare Moreno (who, as your excellency is aware, was prosecuted three years ago at the instance of the Federal Government and sentenced to three months' imprisonment for defaming His Excellency Baron Fava, His Majesty's ambassador) had assured him that the Italian bureau was a mere agency of the padroni, and that many of the things told him by Moreno, a well-informed person, had proved to be

true.

Mr. Powderly finally closed his statements before the Industrial Commission by expressing himself as follows:

I think that when our building is erected on Ellis Island we will be able to take care of all immigrants, and will be able to see that they are properly lodged and cared for without any need of help from any other institution. In fact, that will be done.

The Government of the King, to which I communicated Mr. Powderly's words, now instructs me specially to call your excellency's kind attention to them, and, without discussing them, to point out to you, in a friendly way, how beneficent and disinterested the action of the Italian bureau has ever been as regards immigration, and particularly to point out what care has been taken by the Royal Government to cause the action of the bureau always to be exerted in harmony with the Federal immigration laws.

It has further instructed me to state to you, on this occasion, that it feels confidence in the uprightness and impartiality of the United States Government, and believes that no obstacles will be placed in the way of the free action of a bureau which, by reason of its humanitarian objects, is deserving of unconditional support, both material and moral.

Be pleased to accept, etc.,

G. C. VINCI,

Royal Chargé d'Affaires of Italy.

No. 492.]

Mr. Hay to Count Vinci.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

Washington, June 23, 1899. SIR: I have received your note of the 20th of June, calling the attention of this Department to certain statements made on the 10th of February last by Mr. Powderly, Commissioner-General of Immigration for the Treasury Department, before the Industrial Commission, now in session in this city. After quoting various remarks of Mr. Powderly criticising the action of the Italian immigration bureau. now established at the Barge Office in New York, and after bringing to my notice that the Commissioner-General quoted in support of these criticisms the evidence of one Celso Cesare Moreno, you refer to the antecedents of Moreno, and call my attention to the fact that the Italian bureau has always been beneficent and disinterested as regards immigration, and mention the care that has been taken by your Government to cause the action of the bureau always to be exerted in harmony with the Federal immigration laws. You express also the confidence of the Royal Italian Government that no obstacles shall be placed in the way of the free action of the bureau, which, by reason of its humanitarian objects, is deserving of unconditional support, both material and moral.

Your note has been read with the interest and attention which the importance of the subject requires, and I have without delay submitted it to the attention of the Secretary of the Treasury, commending the matter of which it treats to his early and favorable consideration. Be pleased to accept, etc.,

JOHN HAY.

Mr. Adee to Count Vinci.

No. 504.]

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, August 14, 1899.

SIR: Your letter of June 20 last relative to the Italian bureau of immigration at the Barge Office in New York was, as you were advised by the Department's note of June 23, referred to the Secretary of the Treasury.

Mr. Gage states in reply that the files of that Department show that the institution referred to was established in 1894, at the request of the Italian ambassador at this capital, coupled with the assurance that "what is proposed is only an experiment" for the avowed purpose of suppressing the pernicious padrone system, which the Italian Government is very anxious to break up." In compliance with this request, the Secretary of the Treasury, under date of June 13, 1894, after directing that a room be set aside on the ground floor of Ellis Island station for the display of advertising matter, etc., gave permission to station there one or two persons who can interview and advise with Italian immigrants who have been allowed to land. It is, however, understood that persons selected by you shall give information to the United States officials of any violation of the immigration or alien contract labor laws which may come under their notice."

He adds that the experiment has now been in operation for five years, and it would seem that the principal object of its establishmentthe suppression of the padrone system having been found imprac

ticable, has long since been abandoned. It has been found that not once during said period has the said bureau furnished the immigration officials with information regarding violations of the above-mentioned laws by Italian immigrants, although such violations are alleged to have repeatedly occurred, as, for example, the landing of Italian

convicts.

It is further reported that the said bureau had undertaken to act as an agent of the immigrants from Italy, appearing before the boards of special inquiry as counsel in their behalf; that it has frequently interviewed such immigrants, in disregard of the condition upon which it was permitted accommodation at the station, before they were allowed to land, and, finally, it is said that through its means information of the methods of inspection and examination at the said station was disseminated among Italians intending to come to the United States, whereby they were enabled to deceive the immigration officials and secure admission when not lawfully qualified therefor.

Accept, etc.,

ALVEY A. ADEE.

Baron Fava to Mr. Hay.

[Translation.]

ITALIAN EMBASSY, Washington, October 23, 1899.

MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: The industrial subcommission on immigration held some meetings in the latter part of last July, under the chairmanship of Mr. Farquhar, at the rooms of the New York Chamber of Commerce, to collect information with regard to immigration. Among the witnesses who were requested to appear before the commission was Signor Rossi, the chief agent of the Italian bureau of emigration at the Barge Office, who, as in duty bound, made a report to this embassy on the questions which had been put to him on this subject. The royal ministry has repeatedly expressed a wish to have the official minutes of those meetings. I wrote to the secretary of the Industrial Commission, requesting him to send me a copy of the minutes, but he replied, on the 29th September last, that they had not yet been published.

As new requests, however, have been sent me from Rome on this subject, I venture to appeal to your excellency's well-known courtesy with the request that if the document in question has not yet been printed you will, if possible, kindly procure me a copy for my private use, at least of that part containing the interrogatory of Chevalier Rossi, who, if I am not mistaken, appeared before the commission on the 26th July.

Thanking you in advance, I beg, etc.,

Baron Fava to Mr. Hay.

[Translation.]

FAVA.

ITALIAN EMBASSY, Washington, October 31, 1899.

MR. SECRETARY OF STATE: In your note of the 14th of August last I read the replies made by the honorable Secretary of the Treasury

to the note of June 10, whereby Count Vinci called your excellency's attention to the depositions made by the Commissioner of Immigration on the 10th of February last before the Industrial Commission relative to the Italian bureau of immigration on Ellis Island.

The King's Government took exception to the conclusions reached in said deposition, in a communication addressed to the United States embassy at Rome.

With a view to throwing further light upon the matter, and with the sincere purpose of removing all misunderstanding, I now desire to lay before you some additional facts and considerations, which will, I doubt not, entirely change the opinions recently expressed to you by your illustrious colleague of the Treasury.

I shall follow the order in which the aforesaid opinions are stated in the note to which I am now replying, remarking, in the first place, that I recognize as correct the preamble in which Mr. Gage, recalling the reasons which led me to suggest to ex-Secretary Carlisle the establishment of an Italian bureau of immigration on Ellis Island, states the functions which were assigned to said bureau. I fail to agree with him, however, when he asserts, in a general way, but positively, that the bureau has failed to fulfill the main object for which it was established, viz, the abolition of the padrone system.

This assertion is at least singular. It is true that, with the limited powers granted to it by the letter of June 13, 1894, which were confined to Ellis Island alone, it was not possible for that bureau to extend its vigilance over all the vast territory of the Union, where, moreover, it could not have jurisdiction, so as to eradicate the padrone weed. It is, however, still more true that the Italian bureau has cooperated, and still does efficiently cooperate, in putting a stop (so far as its powers enable it, by the tutelary measures to which I shall hereafter refer in the very words of the head of the bureau) to the frauds which the padroni-i. e., the self-styled bankers, lodging-house keepers and saloon keepers of New York, are constantly seeking to practice upon the immigrants who land at Ellis Island. If it were for this reason only, the Italian bureau would be well entitled to the confidence of both Governments.

The distinguished Secretary of the Treasury will here allow me to remark that, while the Italian Government is always careful to cause the frauds and cruelties practiced by the padroni to be investigated and punished according to law by the competent judicial or police magistrate, that of the United States, which has knowledge of the existence of this evil in its own territory, confines itself to referring to it as an abuse which has been imported, without giving the sanction of law to a single one of the severe measures which have been adopted in Italy with a view to extirpating, or at least holding it in check.

As to this first charge against the Italian bureau, the following statement has been made to me by Mr. Rossi, its head:

With regard to the objections raised by the Treasury Department that the bureau has not come up to their expectations in its dealings with the padrone system, I would say that, far from losing sight of that object we have done what was in our power to counteract the evil; but it must be remembered that so long as a large part of our Italian emigration comes from the Southern provinces, represented mainly by the agricultural or rural classes, proverbial for their simplicity, there will always be those, both Italians and others, who are ready to take advantage of them. In other words, wherever there are lambs to be eaten, there are always wolves ready to eat them up. And it is true, not only of New York, but the world over.

However, the bureau has contributed a great deal, if though (sic) indirectly,