The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-29
Efforts Are Being Made TO Stay
the Swelling Tide 8of
Z Emigration.
SIR HORACE PLUNkETT HERE {:
One OF tic Chief Objects q the
Distinguished Baronct is to
Keep the ]risl1man at Home.

s,llts the uplift OF the People III mas'et :
Industrial and commercial. and tho stem
ming of 1, tide OF emigration that bndc
4 rnlrSin the course OF the coming years
to sweep the shores bare Of It's most
desirable population.
i The Right Honorable Sir Horace Plun-
+ 5kett, vice president of the Department
4 If q xricult,re Of Ireland and Il close
t,ersonal friend of Edward VII. Of Eng.
" land spcnt several hours in Richmond
Sunday, and while nero remarked the en-
4 jstpnce ar tho movement to which refer
hncb is lnahe above. He was, III tact,
then present in the interests OF '.the
work In ouestloli--a work which has no
little interest to America, since this coun-
try ia most co,nmonl, the point toward
which the emiErant Irishman sats his
face when no bids farewell to tho native
heath TO keep this freshman ut home
is the aim Of certain devoted inhabitants
Of the coil. who are now being backed
IN by the government, and the dlstin-
gufshed visitor to Richmond represents
a leading spirit In this phflanthropic and
4 patriotic endeavor,
Heartily Welcomed.
Sir Horace has a Montana ranch, ant
has been out TO take a loolsnt 1t. lie
came over the water on a steamer on
which, us a passenger, was also Mr..
john M Higgins, of this city, then HIM
self returning from his old home In Ire
land Sir Horace snid he wanted to
introduce tobacco raising Into Ireland.
and indicated that he was here to get
IDEAS. He mentioned Connecticut as Il
likely spot for study. Mr.. Higgins re-
called the fact that Virginia was the
natural and logical home for the weed,
and Sir Horace accepted the invitation.
On Sunday afternoon he arrived here
al,d on Sunday night he left for the
North, accompanied by Mr.. e. *. Victor.
ttle German consul In Richmond, who
was also on his way to New York. On
Saturday tho visitor will sail for Naples,
thereafter making his way back TO Ire
land He promises to come again, and
\ Indicated that he would attend tho st.
Louis Exposition.
While In the city Sir Horace was On
teftnined at the residence Of Mi. Higgins,
f5on Governor Street. The lower rooms
were beautifully decorated In palms and
American Beauty roses. At a dinner
given in his honor there were present
besides the host and his guest, Governor
A. ]. Montague and Mrs. Montague,
Northumberland and Mrs. Willard
Bishop Van de Vyver. Attorney-Gcnera
and Mrs. Anderson, Judge and Mrs. S. B.
8 Witt. DR.. George Ben. Johnston, Alr.
and Mrs. Robert Wood, MIR. Allen Potts,
Captain Frank Cunningham, Commits
soncr Of Agriculture Koincr, Mr.; Il. *.
Victor, DR. w. "A. MCGOWAN. MIR. John
Garland Pollard. and the Rev. Fathers
Nickee.frey and Hannigan. of Richmond,
and FLYNN, of Baltimore.
An Important Movement.
AS indicated above. Sir Horace is prom
inent in the political life of his country.
Aside from his personal friendship with
the King he has occupied several import
ant positions. He served on the famous
& ongested Board" that had for It's task
the important work Of buying UP and
ro5istricting the lands of Ireland He is
now engaged In the closely connected
nlbreuent looking TO the building M Of
ireland indusuially ana commercially.
q In the course Of a hearty response 10
Az tpIauy hearty welcome from the
Governor Of Virginia, ST.. Horace touched
upon the master that lay closest TO his
EearL tie-TetGrred to the hospitality Of
VirsInians, and declared that while his
counrryinen were provcrbialy hospitablc
iie believed the people of that Ola Do
Hintou could give them "a few pointers.
lie deprecated the fact that so many
1rishmen-four millions, in fact--had left
the mother country in the last few
years. Later In the day the visitor spoke
more freely OF the situation, and while
y
could not himself be seen an idea Of
the clans he and his colleagues have In
niird was obtained yesterday from Mr.,
Higgins. whose recent trip to the Emcr-
aid Isle gave him a close insight into
the situation,
The hopes for Ireland We're never bright
or than to-day. The recent land purchase
acts, by their decisive correction OF many
existing evils. are slowly but surely elm
illa,ina the Intense hatred between land.
lord and tenant-a condition that drove
many Of the humber Glasses to another
cline. With the constant and all-power-
full as siEtance OF the government the
lands arc gradually coming into the pos
session OF the tenant, who can hereafter
erect thereon home and live in peace
and N security from the iron rule OF his
late and overbearipS landlord.
Trying to Help Him.
But the problem now Is to keep the ten
ant there, The tide OF emigration is
strongly set, and each year sees an exo-
dus to the United States. where the Irish
man. BY thrift and energy. earns for him
SELF that Which he has not hitherto been
ablt 70 expect at home. To accomplish
Tor the beautiful Emerald isis what lis
most prominent and patriotic men seek
TO obtain, II is necessary TO stem this
tide, and at the same time. X possible,
draw back to Ireland as many as can
of those now here Hence springs the
movement tt which Sir Horace referred
Ireland is 70 be built vi. commercially
and industrially, and is in this way Ia
ofer attractions thai Will in some meas
ure offset the manifold Inducements that
draw the Irishnan 10 this country, The
government is giving every assistance in
It's power Already lace manufactures
arc beginning TO spring up. Home manu-
factories OF Irish tweed suits for men are
also arising, Mr. Higgins wore one oil
tho suits home when he came hack. >.
In direct line with this movement Is
the plan Of Sir Horace TO Introduce TO-
bacco raising In Ireland. He thinks ii
Is a possibility, ard he consulted Com
missioner koincr and Ar Victor upon The
matter He asked these gentlemen lt
suggest the name OF practical tobacco
raiser who could supeltptend series OF
experiments in ireland. A certain class
\ u tobacco has already been grown III Ire
land, hut the most satisfactory results
have not yet been obtained, A mixture
with Virginia leaf has, however. produced
. very excellent blend, which would dc
for horne consumption, II for nothinl
else Upon the suggestion OF Mr. KoInel
no also said that he would make som.
experiments with Cuban tobacco. He vii