New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-01
TIE TxODUS FROM IRELAND.

The new exodus from Ireland diners from
former movements of the population across the
Atlantic in two respects. First, 1t Is directly
promoted by State aid ; and secondly, families
instead Of individuals are transplanted from
the oyercrowded districts of the island to the
United States and the Dominion. A large pro-
portion of those who cmlgra.o from Ireland
either pay for their own passage tickets or Dor
row the money at home or III America; mt
there il now a large and growing minority that
depends upon Government aid. The Land Act
of 1850 empowered the Commission, whenever
Il sufficient number of persons in any quarter
desired to emigrate, to advance money for
their assistance, and especially tor the benefit OF
families in the more thickly populated dis
tricts. The Commission is required to make
satisfactory arrangements for the shipment,
transport and reception of such families, and,
in the language of the Act, ito see to their
@proper care and comfort in all cases in which it
Sgyes assistance for the above purpose" The
Government in putting this clause in practical
operation Is under obligation to aid families
rather than ind yiduals, and to exercise Jan in
telligent oversight OF the details of emigration,
providing not only for their shipment, but also
for their reception in the new country and their
"proper care and comfort"
The British Government has availed itself of
the experience and aid of an organization for
promoting the emigration of families, known
as Mr. Tuke's Committee. A fair proportion of
tho State-assisted emigrants now arriving at
Castle Garden have Leen selected by the agents
of that committee in the most impoverished
districts OF the island, such as County Galway
aid County Mayo. The process has been de-
scribed in detail by one of the secretaries of the
organization, Mr.. sydney c. Buxton. lin the cur-
rent number of The EortnightIy Reriew The
committee had sent away 1920 emigrants on
its own account during eight months, when it
WAS authorized in the autumn to act fOI the
Government. Early in the present year 5000
persons were selected in four of the most con-
gcsted districts Of Connaught, and the work Is
now rapidly extending in other quarters of the
island. Mr.. Tukes agents have discharged
their duty with intelligence and painsta king
care. They have given the preference to fam
lies who were willing to emigrate in body,
and have not allowed individuals to go If there
were any body depending upon them. The pro-
duciion of encouraging letters from friends In
America was required in every instance, and no
emil ps..ts vert assisted unless they had near
relations in Canada or the United States VINO
were willing and anxious to receive them.
Pains were also taken to scatter the emfSrants
over wide areas, to prevent their settling III
large towns having "Irish quarters" and not
to send any families that did not possess a
worker or two in addition to the head.
Mr. Buxton's account of State-aided emil
grafton, while satisfactory in many respects,
may we'll excite serious reflections on the part
of Americans. SO far as the island itself is
concerned. the system CT transplanting entire
families is more beneficial than that Of sending
out the able bodied members of n community
from various families and leaving behind the
very young and the very old, those who need
much and can do little toward supporting them
selves. OF those removed from two large dis
trcts only 80 per cent were between the ages OF
fifteen and thirty and Mr.. Buxton is con-
fdent that no one will come on the rates as a
consequence of this system-a result too often
folio wing emigraton-while hundreds, who
would otherwise have burdened the rates at
hume, have been sent away. This is happy
result for Ireland; but it is not equally encour-
aging to the communities where the emigrants
land. The families. which would DO burden