New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-05-06
LILLE SrRLNG TIDE or EuLGR4TL0N.

TIE TRIBUNE has already reported the ar
rival of 4G,14S emi6rants during the month
Of Apil, making n total of 81 ,2G2 during the
four months already passed of this year. This
SURPRISES even the great OutpOurng of emf
grants into this country in the years immc-
diately following the previous famine in Ire
land. The number given for this year is only
the estimate Of the officials at Castle Garden,
aud does not include the great intlux of the
better class Of foreigners who come over in the
cabins of the steamers, and pass directly into
the care Of their friends without coming under
the notice OF the Commissioners of Emigration.
Cheering accounts are given of the quality of
the now element coming into our citizenship.
We arc told that the English emigrants are as a
rule skilled artisans, factory hands OF small
farmers; the GermaHs handICraftsmen or
farmers, each bringing little capital; and even
the Irish are reported to be as a rule, "yOung,
I" sober and jealous"
All this is agreeable, if true; but there is
really no use in looking upon our new acquiSi-
tons through rosc-colorcd glasses to wilfully
deceive ourselves. While there Is undoubtedly
Il large percentage Of healthy skilled working
men, each POSSESSED Of Il small amount Of cap
ital, among these vast incoming shoals of
pcOplp there is Just as certainly large amount
Of helpless paupcrism, constitutional lazineSs
and drunkenness This inevitably follows upon
the fact that this is not voluntary emigration.
THESE pcoplc are not; as II rule, the class who
save and prepare for years for the important
step of changing Their nationality; who choose
their home lcisurcly when they aIIIye here, aud
20 to work to lay stable foundation for the
FAM I,nir Families IN fbn tln.y
are literally flying from starvation for their
lives They have Eccn driven to come by
want, and in the majority of cases they bring
only the means TO keep them from Lcggary for
Il few months. After that it depends wholly on
themselves whether they arc an addition to the
strength aud vitality of the country or to tho
dead weight Of pauperism which she has to
carry. The most hopeful fact Is that most Of
these emigrants are going to the West. The
waste lands need them there; work is ready for
them; the most ignorant or idle among them
can become ut once the owner or tilcr of
ground, and help to send back food to the
country which has starved him. There is more
chance, too for himself there brought face to
face with the ground, and forced, like Adam,
! either to dig and earn his bread by the sweat OF
his brow or to 20 without This modern
Adam, il set down i'll one of our cities usually
finds plenty of eleemOsynary institutions to
| come between him and the work which he hates.
There is no inhOsW!ality or want of welcome
intended i'll the recognition by Americans OF the
| facts about these new corners. Ii Is because we
wish them well that We would DC careful to set
them down at tho points where they are most
likely to become Industrious, sober, clf-sup-
porting and self-rcspecting.
Tho great currents of emigration do not flow
only to the United States this Spring The
Chinese rcpulsed from this country and Aus
tralia (Which imposes heavy poll-tax on each
Chinaman who lands upon her shores) are
going in large numbers to Peru, where they are
made welcome. AThey come to stay there
| Cinnamon intermarrylng with the lower class Of