Mr. Draper to Mr. Hay.

No. 455.]

Sir: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a note from the Italian foreign office, dated June 5, with a translation. My personal attention has also been called to certain printed testimony of Mr. Powderly, our Commissioner-General of Immigration, a copy of which is in the possession of the Italian foreign office, and it seems to me that there is some reason for the complaint made in the note which I am sending to you. Outside of the passages to which there is reference in the communication of the foreign office, there is an implication in the testimony of Mr. Powderly that Baron Fava, the Italian ambassador at Washington, secured the establishment of the bureau directed by Signor Rossi, in the interest of the padroni—an implication naturally offensive to Baron Fava and to his Government, and in the nature of things absolutely without foundation. * * * The statement that the bureau was to be suspended, when no notice had been given to the Italian Government, is what the foreign office here specifically complains of. The ministry take the view that this bureau stands on such a basis and is of such a character that its abolition, if such be intended, should be discussed with them, and that reasons for such abolition should be given before any definite action is taken.

In March or April of last year notice was received in Rome that the bureau was to be discontinued in fifteen days. The minister of foreign affairs, the Marquis Visconti Venosta, immediately made a protest to me, and I think also through his embassy at Washington. I wrote in regard to the subject in my dispatch No. 158, dated April 2, 1898. The result of that communication was the temporary revocation of the order of abolishment. If it be really intended now to renew the order, I venture to suggest that it would be most wise to explain to the Italian Government in advance the reasons for such a step, so that it may not seem to them an arbitrary act on our part. I am sure that the Marquis Visconti Venosta is desirous that our immigration laws should be respected in letter and in spirit, and I have always found him ready to consider favorably every suggestion that has been made by us to accomplish this result. I trust that the matter may receive the especial attention of the Department of State.

I have, etc.,

William F. Draper.
[Page 412]
[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 [Page 413] 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.,

G. Fusinato,
The Under Secretary of State.