New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-22
DANGEROUS EMIGRATION.

The Salvation Army has done so much work
OF unqueStiOnable benefcence that we might
hesitate TO critcise unfavorably any Of its plans
for abating the evils Of poverty vice and crime.
But General Booths latest proposal, If we
understand it Alright, certainly seems to be of
doubtful and worse than doubtful discretion 1t
Is well meant but when regarded without the
glamour of philanthropic enthusiasm in which it
was conceived and is viewed by its author it
seems to be fraught with a grave menace Of
actually aggravating the evils it is intended TO
alleviate
Briefly stated. the plan is to regard England
as Overpopulated and therefore to promote
wholesale emigration of the intelligent, healthy,
Industrious and efficient elements of the popuIa-
ton, leaving the ignorant sick and helpless hui
man derelicts behind. Now of course. if there
is to be any great emigration, those lands to
which 1t is directed would prefer to have it of
the character proposed But what would be the
effect upon England of thus taking away the
Drawn and brain Of the people? "a bold peas
'antry, their countrys PRIDE When once de-
'stroyd, can never be supplied" nor can they be
supplied when removed by emigration. Such a
process, carried to any considerable extent
sufhciently to relieve the alleged Overcrowding
or population-would be ruinous 70 the mother
country. 1t would leave there those who need
to be cared for without any one to care for them.
But, before all that 1t is to be questioned
whether even England, and certainly whether
the whole United Kingdom, is suffering from
overpopulation. True, England has a dense
population, about 541 to the square mile and il
is rapidly increasing at the rate of IL to 10 Der
cent in ten years In Ireland there are only 145
TO the mile, however, and in Scotland only 135.
A dense population is not possible in Scotland
but 1t surely should be in Ireland and the
density In England cannot be regarded as ex-
cessiye. Belgium has much more dense popu-
lation. and her immigration is greater than her
emigration. Holland has 418 TO the mile, and
makes no complaint OF crowding. AS for Ger
many, with 237, she deplores emigration and
France. with only 190 lameMts her under
population. Among our own states Rhode ISL
and has 40I, Massachusetts 349 New-Jersey
$50 and New-York 1913 TO the mile The enor-
nous average Of England is due of course TO
her great cities. Rural England is not so
densely populated as some Of our states
Many thoughtful Englishmen observe that of
the entire area Of England only three-fourths
10 uhder any form of cultivation. One-half of
~ ID III pasture or meadow land and only one
iotfth III grain or other food crops. Now. il
might not be practicable to increase that one
fourth to so per cent rs in ReIp,um h,t II
surely might be increased with corrasnond
ing increase Of the self-feeding ro,ro,. oe tho
kingdom If some of the miIIions % 80. 90
largely unProductive English IorJ 49, ,-,,,,.
highly productive. the condition oe t,,a ~
"ouio De improved and many Of the most com
petent observers IN England believe thew couId
be made prontaDy productive under nronar