Speech #480122069

I base my support of the bill entirely upon the fact that it is demanded universally by the laboring people of this country. But to say that because the laborer contracts abroad to give some portion of his earnings when he comes herd. that is a crime. to affirm that Ihere is any great economic benefit to the people of this country in proLbiting the small number of persons. whether good or bad. who are imported here under contracts. and preventing the competition on the part of that small number of people with the great body of laborers in this country. is in my opinion an unworthy proposition on which to base a great public policy. To suppose that we are to help the laborers of this country by permitting the whole body of voluntary immigration not under contract to come here and enter into competition with their labor. and that we shall benefit them by preventing a small portion coming here under contract to labor. does not appear to me to be reasonable. Why. sir. a man is not a bad man because he contracts to labor after he gets here to pay for being brought here. nor is the public significance of the fact. because of the small number of people. of any consequence. It is not the fact that they come here under contract that makes them unworthy of American citizenship.