New-York tribune., 1874-01-29
A WEALTH THAT IMPOVERISHES.

AN INCREASE OF THE HEAD-MoNEY ASKED BY THE
EMIGRATION COMMISsIONERS-THE EMIGRATION
BUREAU IN DEBT-DECREAsE or IMMIGRATION
TIIE PRESENT YEAR.
The impossbility of longer conducting the
extensive business Of the Bureau OF Emigration while
the communication tax or head money" remains at Its
present so led to the introduction OF bill
in the Senate and Assembly Of the State Legislature in
creang the immigrants from 81 so TO the rate Of
81 person. Ono Of the Board Of Commissioners OF
Emigration stated TRIBUNE reporter yesterday that
this step had become absolute necessity. He said
that the present indebtedness OF the Board
amounted to between $4,000 and 10000 - an
Indebtedness which on April 1 would amount
TO fully t15O,OOO. Years ago the commutation tax
so per person At this figure the expenses OF the
Board easily met. especially since the tide OF immi
grafton then very strong After thorough nvesti-
gaton 1t thought possible to conduct the business
Of Board at less expense, and in 1871 an attempt
was made in the interest Of the immigrant to reduce tho
ead-money from 81 90 to 81 so This was undertaken
with the distinct understanding between the Commits
siOners and the officers Of the steamship lines that
the OF passage would at DO reduced and that
the immigrant would therefore receive the full benefit
OF this reduction The head money accordingly re-
duced to 80 but the steamship companies failed to
fulfill their portion OF the unwrtten contract No reduc-
ton was rates OF passage and the steamship
lines have annually reaped rich harvest. since q
single steamer known to bring upward OF
I.7O0 steerage passengers.
From every immigrant tho steamship companies
have received 81 than at the former rates. which
themselves yielded large profits This condition Of
affairs brought to light year ago. when an attempt
similar to the present made to increase the head
money to g. Such bill passed the Assembly. but
killed in the Senate. through the strong influence ex
erted by the steamship companies. The consequences
are shown in the present condition Of the Commission
oil that
have prompted the drafting Of the bill The number Of
immigrants the present will fail far short OF that
OF recent years This supposition is already established
beyond doubt. The number who have arrived during
the present month is 1905 The three remaining days
cannot that number TO $500; while in January
1878, the number reached 6.420 and in January,
1872. there arrived nearly equal number. The
largest number arriving by o single
for several days 10 only Ill. The agents
OF all the steamship lines declare that the
number OF prepaid passages this year 10 unprecedeny
small, and all predict unusually Vuiet season The
total number OF immigrants arriving in 1873 $4,000
The most sanguine prophecy OF those who have inves
gated the subject places the probable number during
ent tax Of 81 50 each would yield Commission only
100000 In 1879 with siOo79 receipts the Board found
the receipts amounted to AaO6. and in 1871 TO S3 s92
The reduction in expenses by the present Board has
items of expense labor have been about the
same as former years. The force OF employees has
to transact the varied and extensive blsi
Almost the only saving Is TO be found In the re-
duction Of the number OF sick and destitute requiring
support at Wards Island and elsewhere throughout the
Still the expenses here are enormous, and bill
taken up random from large number proved TO be
from Monroe County, and showed the Indebtedness OF
the Commission for the support Of the Poor aud Dest
In that county alone for one month"; December 10
be upward OF $l,lO0.
Considerable relief has been experienced by the mate
rial diminution OF the number OF destitute and
women owing to the demands from the South for farm
aborers Several hundred persons have thus been dis
posed Of, for whom IT would have been impossible 10
procure any employment whatever in the North. The
number at present supported by the Commission, at
Wards Island, is about 1000 MANY hundreds more
scattered throughout the State at various institutions,
the support Of whom must be met by the Commission
The law requires that any sick or destitute immi
grant 10 entitled to support for five after his
ARRIVAL provided he has not lived for period OF twelve
months outside the State.
The Commissioner OF Emigration are ssngune OF the
Of the present effort 20 the commua
tion tax. and relieve the Commission from ombarass
ment. 1t IL generally well understood that the
steamship lines alone have profted by its reduction,
and however strong may lbe the influence brought 10
bear against it, the Commission 10 confident OF
The superintendent II will be remembered recently
authorized by the Board 70 obtain large loan, the
property Of the Commission being mortGaRed for that
purpose The present Indebtedness Will thus probably
be cleared The rate OF Communication and greater
Immigration the Spring 70 Is hoped will once more
place business affairs OF the Emigration Bureau on
brm foundation.