Speech #480122031

I believe it is demanded now. in all justice to our own people. for go where you will throughout the Northern States you find that a large percentage of all the paupers in our almshouses and a still larger percentage of all the criminals in our State prisons and penitentiaries were only a few years ago subjects of some European monarchy. and in many cases. if you will follow their history. you will find that they were paupers and criminals when they came here. The United States stands ready to receive at all times all good persons who may come to us from Europe. who may come here able to support themselves. able to maintain themselves. and who are to become good citizens and add something to.the prosperity of our country. But I submit that we can no longer afford to leave our ports open to the pauper and criminal classes of Europe. neither can we afford to leave our ports open to contract labor brought in here to be used in our mines and upon our railroads and other public works as I have described. It seems to me that there ought to be no division upon this question. and I am surprised that any Senator should have opposed this principle upon this floor. for we are here I hold to legislate first for our own people. and particularly are we called upon to legislate in the interests of the Labor of this country. Capital. wealth. and education are usually able to take care of themselves under any form of government. I trust that sections 3 and 4 will not be stricken out unless more stringent penalties are to be moved as a substitute for them. In regard to section 4. 1 may say that yesterday I was called upon by an agent of one of the principal foreign lines of steamship companies which bring emigrants into our country. He had supposed that there was something in that section which would work a great hardship to the line which he represented. I took the bill and read the section to him. and he expressed his perfect satisfaction with it.