Archive Information on Emigration from Dalmatian Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Beginning of the XX Century

Austrijska vlast negativno se odnosila prema iseljavanju i bila sumnjičava prema putničkim i turističkim agencijama. Stoga je iseljavanje u početku XX. st. bilo zabranjeno, no narod se hrpimice iseljavao ilegalno, mnogi putem agencija za ilegalno iseljavanje i prijevoz iseljenika. Uvidjevši da ne može spriječiti iseljavanje, vlast je popustila, ali je iseljenike obeshrabrivala (istinitim) vijestima o teškoćama koje ih očekuju u prekomorju. Tu se nalazilo i korisnih savjeta o potražnji radne snage, zanimanjima koja se traže, odnosu žitelja prekomorskih zemalja prema doseljenicima i sl.The Austrian regime took a negative stance towards emigration. It was suspicious towards travel and tourist agencies, suspecting them of being linked to the liberal political emigration. Emigration at the beginning of the 20th century was generally forbidden. However, people emigrated illegally, and illegal agencies sprouted up for the departure and transportation of emigrants. Economic emigration started in Croatia owing to the decay of vineyards caused by phyloxera and the competition of cheap American wheat. The primary historical sources allow us to follow its development from Dalmatian Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The authorities first turned down the emission of passports but crowds of hungry peasants left for America illegally. Clandestine travel agencies and shipping firms emerged to forward the emigrants. Seeing that it could not forbid emigration, in a few years the Austrian regime relented, but it tried to discourage emigrants with stories of the difficulties awaiting them in overseas countries. lt issued a number of letters to local authorities with much useful advice for emigrants on the labour demand abroad, on professions, wars, food shortages and the behaviour of the local population in some overseas countries towards newcomers