Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-09-22
Letter from Washington.
lrRoM OUR REGULAR CORRESPONDENCE
WASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. IS, 1871.

hAShANbip-N5 ~ ~ ~ pc 10 Abf1s
ORGANIZED EMIGRATION.
Edward Young, the chief ofthe bureau of sta
tistics, did an excellent work in compiling re-
ports on immigration. A great demand has
arisen for this volume, but the bureau cannot
print the needed copies, and neither the state or
treasury departments have any funds for the
purpose of translation and publication. From
the Scandinavian countries, from all parts Of
Germany, and now from France, especially the
provinces coded to Germany and those close by
which have been war blasted, emigration in
creases and with information officially autheuti-
Gated and widely disseminated, it might be in
creased to an unlimited extent.
The great necessity is organization, here and
especially on the other side | am surprised to
see how little real effort is made by our railroad
land owners and capitalists to approach the real
working classes and bring them in organized
colonies.
Two years ago there was person here en-
gagged in lobbying magnificent steamship
scheme-too magnificent of course for an honest
plan. But the lobbyist had been a shipmaster-
he was man of large and daring intellect
one of that class who could be either an adj
venturer, like Ward or Burgevine, the Ameri-
can-ChineSe generals, a successful founder of
empires like Olive, or a modern civilizing buc-
cancer like Sir James Brooks Raiah of Sarawak,
or remain just such an adventurous charlatan
as he is. The scheme with which he was iden-
tilted had merit in it, outside of the demand for
subsidy. 1t proposed to run line of steamships
from certain Atlantic ports to the Mediter-
&c f,rn at nc
| ed with it was plan for organizing emigration
on larger scale to the southern states from
southern and central Europe. The ideas of the
person refer to, with regard to ocean Transport
tation and the organization and settlement of
colonies, struck my attention. The conditions
are applicable to other plans than the one with
which he was connected.
WHAT THEY WERE.
First, it was essential that the parties, COM
pauies, or perhaps the state, (aS in the case of
| Texas, which owns one hundred million acres)
should be able to control eligible bodies of land
fayorably located, which they should be pre-
pared to sell, especially to colonies, on moder-
ate terms with reasonable time. Second, that
these should be themselves in control of, or be
able to connect their operations with railroad
and steamship lines, so that they could afford to
employ agents in Europe, could transport the
representatives of any intending colonies to
and from their lands without cost in order that
they might be satisfied before hand. In the
scheme am referring TO, the profits of immi-
grant transportation were to be the sec
ondary, not primary purpose, which lat
ter was to be the proper location
! Ice
lands, enhance the value OF what was retained,
and create new industries and commerce, from
which the capitalists who took the initiative
would, of course, be able to bag considerable
share Of profits.
Third, though these are not new points, the
other ideas of my acquaintance were to some ex-
| tent novel and striking. He thought, for in
stance, that on the route proposed by his scheme,
vessels of large size, broad amidships, built
for security and room rather than high speed,
would be the most profitable. In his proposed
ships the Storage was to be abolished, and the
entire half forward from midships between
| decks, was to be arranged for freight on out
ward voyages and passenger traffic home. The
vessels were to be built of iron, high be-
tween decks, and when used for pas
sengers the necessary divisions between
families of the sexes were to be made by means
! ofmoyeaDle iron compartments, in which iron
| hunks, ETC., should be arranged His plans en-
| braced separate cabins for each family, and dor
mitories wide apart for the sexes. The iron di
visions, ETC., should be corrugated and white
washed, etc, every voyage. AS they could be
folded back at any time, it would be very easy to
fumigatc the entire passenger portion. By clos
ing the matches and ports and turning steam in.
vermin, ETC., could be destroyed at once
The cost of feeding and transporting emf
grants is very small. The protector / refer to-
as well as Others posted in the business have
told me that the profits, as now managed
range from one TO two hundred per cent
and even more. In the plans I am speaking
of if would have been to the interest of the par
ties engaged to: LIST. Put the passage money
down to the lowest figure, consistent with Sc
curity for capital and risk. I'd. To induce the
| organization Of as large colonies as possible,
and therefore Of course to prcarrange, make
more economical and simplify the transporta-
ton, on land and sea, to the largest possible ex.
tent
There were other features Of nv Iobbvists,s
projects which deserve notice He orrn,d i,
favor of treaties TO provide for international in.
speetion at either end. and sune,vision If +rofRo
and care on the ocean The international ,,,,,ro,,
order system was 10 be adopted ot Tho oorlios,
moment. Every proper ADVANTAGE vos ~ bo