that he wished 100 families of German agriculturists, to whom he offered homes on fazendas in the south of the state, with the right to cultivate cereals for themselves; and further stated that Santa Catharina could use 100 additional German families, each of which would be offered gratuitously a lot of the best hammock land in the north of the state, where a German colony has already been initiated. It will be seen that the states as well as the Federal Government are actively interested in inducing immigrants to enter the country. The Federal and State Governments, with expenses adjusted by mutual agreement, have special hotels at the principal ports and distributing centres where immigrants are lodged free of charge for a limited time. Most of the immigrants entering Brazil are from Portugal, Spain, and Italy. Brazil would seem to be an ideal new-world home for Latin people desiring to better their condition by migrating. There are indications that people from southeastern Europe would be acceptable wherever unskilled labor can be utilized. FEDERAL COLONISTS NOT ENTIRELY From 1908 to 1912, it is officially stated that 78.34 per cent. of the settlers in the twenty Federal Colonies were foreign-born, and from 1913 to 1916, the percentage was 73.74. Since 1920 about 20,000 unemployed in the cities have been given free transportation from Rio to the colonies. About 60 per cent. of these are classed as Brazilians. BRAZIL HOPES TO ESTABLISH WHITE AND COLORED UNSKILLED LABOR IN NON-COMPETITIVE GROUPS There is the same problem, though to a lesser extent, for white unskilled labor that is met in South Africa, that is the difficulty of maintaining a decent living standard on the wage that prevails where there is a large colored working popula'Characterized by hardwood vegetation. J. C. Oakenfull: Brazil, page 173. tion. The situation would not be so acute in Brazil because there is less divergence between the standards of the emigrating Latin peoples and local colored workers than between these people and the migrating British. The South African Union meets a possible difficulty at the present time by refusing to receive white unskilled labor. Brazil hopes to avoid trouble by her scheme of Federal Colonies where the two groups will not come into competition. BRAZIL NOT DESIROUS OF UNITED STATES SETTLERS WITHOUT CAPITAL Brazil is particularly eager for settlers with capital, and advertises widely, but with discretion, the opportunities awaiting such people. In order that false hopes may not be raised in the hearts of people in the United States, the Brazilian Government states that: "It is generally inadvisable for any one to come to Brazil with intent to acquire land for farming purposes without a relatively large capital. In the case of stockmen this should be at least $25,000. To embark in coffee-growing on the scale necessary to assure success requires an even larger investment. It is seldom possible to acquire a developed plantation for less than $100,000. However, with $25,000-$30,000 a very good start could be made in the new country along the Noroeste in the western part of Sao Paulo, though land there is being taken up very fast. "Few American farmers would find life acceptable on any of the Government nuclei' colonies. Holdings there are small and association would be with immigrants from southern and eastern Europe. It is inadvisable for either cotton- or sugar-growers to come to Brazil in the present state of these industries. Any man with good health, a pioneering spirit, and small capital, of say $4000 to $5000, can make a living in a small way in Brazil as a farmer, but the difficulties are many. Among these are difference in language, lack of congenial social life, lack of good roads, and uncertainty of a steady demand for produce at remunerative prices. A single man may be able to overcome these obstacles, but conditions are very trying for women used to conditions of American rural life. Also educational facilities as understood in the United States are non-existent. "Competition with local labor of this class on the score of either wages or living conditions is out of the question. "There is very little opportunity in Brazil for skilled labor, such as factory machinists, locomotive engineers, etc. Wages are much lower than in the States, and there is a prejudice against Americans and Britishers of this class, because of a few experiences with what the natives consider their too 'bossy' and exigent ways." FEDERAL DECREES REGULATE IMMIGRATION Immigration into Brazil is controlled by Federal Decrees of April 19, 1907, January 3, 1915, and January 6, 1918. Prior to the first date, the matter had been regulated by the various states. The first Federal Decree practically revoked these earlier measures. SUMMARY OF LAW According to the Brazilian law, all second- and third-class passengers of any nationality come under the designation of immigrants and must conform with the following regulations 10: 1. Present a passport with photograph of bearer with the visé of the Brazilian Consul in the district. 2. Present recent vaccination and health certificates from a local authority who is not a private doctor. 3. Present a certificate of good conduct and of not having been condemned for any crime during the previous five years. ⚫Communication from the Pan-American Union, 10 J. C. Oakenfull: Brazil, page 164. 4. Children under fifteen not accompanied by adults must have a written permission to land in Brazil from a Brazilian Consulate, as well as a duly viséd birth certificate. The definitely excluded classes include: (1) Travelers over sixty years of age without (a) friends or relatives in Brazil or (b) means of subsistence. (2) Any persons who are crippled or otherwise disabled, unless financially independent or whose subsistence is otherwise guaranteed. That is, foreigners arriving at Brazilian ports, traveling third class, under 60 years of age, and who are not suffering from contagious diseases, nor plying illicit trades, and who are not criminals, beggars, rogues, vagabonds, lunatics, or invalids, may be admitted as immigrants. 5. The Federal Government, without interfering with the liberty of similar action on the part of the states, will direct and facilitate the placing of agricultural immigrants on land, and at the time of settling will protect and advise such immigrants. On first being installed the state will provide immigrants with tools and seeds free of charge. The states may give assistance to immigrants independent of that given by the Union. 6. Farms of from 25 to 50 hectares (61.7 to 123.5 acres) will be sold to agricultural immigrants for cash or on the installment plan, the size of the farm depending on the location, but immigrants not accompanied by their families must pay cash for farm lands. An agricultural immigrant who has been less than two years in Brazil, who marries a Brazilian woman, or the daughter of a Brazilian born in the country, or the Brazilian who marries an alien woman who has been in the country less than two years as an immigrant, will be given a farm free, provided they have lived in harmony for a year and have improved the said farm. 7. Immigrants are transported to the land free of charge, and are given gratis (once only) seeds, hoes, spades, picks, axes, and scythes. 8. Immigrants have from five to eight years in which to pay for their land, and if cash payments are made a discount of 12 per cent. is allowed. 9. Immigrants receive free board and lodging at the port of disembarkation, and free transportation, including baggage, to inland destination. Baggage and tools are admitted free. At the port of Rio de Janeiro the Federal Government pays the expenses incurred in the reception and distribution of immigrants. In state ports, such as Bahia, Santos, etc., this expense is borne by the state. 10. The Government will repatriate agricultural immigrants who have come at their own expense, if they have resided less than two years in Brazil and are incapacitated from earning their living and have none of their family to support them. The influence of our own legislation may be seen in the classes which are excluded; it is but natural that our wide experience in experimenting with the regulation of immigration should be influential with other countries. Each nation in turn, however, makes the discovery that wise interpretation and enforcement of law are essential to the success of any policy. NATURALIZATION OF ALIENS Citizenship in Brazil is defined and determined by the Naturalization Law of May 14, 1908, of which the following synopsis 11 is self-explanatory: Article I. The following persons are considered to be Brazilian citizens: (1) Those who are born in Brazil, although the father may be a foreigner, provided he is not employed in the service of the nation to which he belongs. "J. C. Oakenfull: Brazil, pages 207-209. Technical clauses not essential in this study are omitted. |