Mr. Sherman to Count
Vinci.
Department of State,
Washington, March 31,
1898.
No. 314.]
Sir: Referring to the Department’s note of May
7, 1894, and the letter addressed by the Secretary of the Treasury, on
June 15, of the same year, to Baron Fava, concerning the effort to
protect Italian immigrants into the United States from the evils of the
padrone system, I have the honor to inclose a copy of a letter from the
Secretary of the Treasury explaining that he has deemed it necessary to
abolish the arrangement by which a room at the immigration station at
Ellis Island, New York, was assigned to the agent designated by the
Italian Government to aid in the effort above mentioned.
The arrangement will be abolished from and after April 15, proximo.
Accept, sir, etc.,
(Inclosure in No. 314.)
Mr. Gage to Mr.
Sherman.
Treasury Department,
Washington, D. C., March 25, 1898.
No. 15880.]
Sir: In further relation to the subject of
a communication to you from this Department, No. 6662, of May 4,
1894, I have the honor to state that on June 15, 1894, a letter was
addressed to Baron Fava, ambassador extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary of the Italian Government at this capital, informing
him that the Superintendent of Immigration has been directed to
cause a room on the main floor of the immigration station at Ellis
Island, New York, to be prepared for the accommodation of such
persons as should be designated by the said Government for the
purpose of giving aid and information to Italian
[Page 407]
immigrants and to protect them from
the evils of the padrone system, with the understanding that the
persons so designated should give to the United States immigration
officials such information as might come under their notice of
infringements of the alien contract labor law.
In accordance with the terms of said letter, a room was assigned for
the purposes indicated and an agent was appointed by the Italian
Government, to take charge of the business thereof.
After an experience extending over nearly four years, and a
painstaking endeavor on the part of the Commissioner of Immigration
at the port of New York to afford every facility and aid in his
power to the successful operation of the experiment, it has been
found that the plan in practical operation fails utterly in
accomplishing the objects for which it was designed, besides being
the occasion of additional trouble and uncertainly in the
administration of the immigration laws at that port.
It has been determined, therefore, to abolish the said arrangement on
the 15th proximo, and I have to request that you will so inform
Baron Fava.
Respectfully, yours,
