For years Italians emigrated to South America, particularly to Brazil and the Argentine Republic, where the climate, race customs, and language were more to their liking than in the north. A diminution of prosperity there has turned part of the tide northward. About eighty per cent of our Italians come from southern Italy, a fact explained by the difference between the industrial conditions in the northern and southern parts of the peninsula. In the south agriculture is the only industry, and it frequently suffers from climatic conditions, the resulting losses bearing heavily upon the population. Conditions are aggravated by an unequal division of taxes between the north and the south. Often the only alternative to starvation is emigration. During the past decade 2,000,000 Italians have come to us and, according to estimates, about two-thirds of them have settled in the cities of the Northern States, a condition detrimental to the foreign and our social organization alike. These Italians, peasants and experts in fruit culture by training, become day laborers, thus losing their greatest productive power. The Italian who keeps away from the city finds his lot more agreeable. Wherever they have settled as farmers they have been uniformly successful. The person who knows only the Italian of the tenements has little sympathy for him, in spite of the fact that many of this race have proved themselves to be quiet, sober, and useful citizens. [Illustration] Exterior view of main building. [Illustration] Restaurant. Immigrants dining-room and detention quarters. Detained immigrants are fed here at the expense of the steamship companies. [Illustration] Here all immigrants must present themselves upon arrival for their first inspection under the law--sometimes as many as 5,000 a day. U. S. IMMIGRANT STATION, ELLIS ISLAND, N. Y. The Slavic immigration since 1880 has been mainly from the more primitive districts out of touch with the civilization of western Europe. These people have come, not as settlers, but as laborers in the mines, factories, and foundries, planning to remain here for a time, earn as much as possible, and return to their native land.