Speech #500116723

To my mind it is clear that the settlement among usof an inferior race is to be disconuraged by every legitimate means. Asia. with her numberless millions. sends to our shores the dregs of her population. Large imnbers of this class are already here. and unless we do something early to check their mnigration the 1iestion which of the two tides of immigration meeting upon the shores of tile Pacilic shall be turned back will be forced upon our coisideration when far more dillicult than now of disposal. There can be no (loubt but that the presence of numbers among us of a degraded and distinct people must exercise a deleterious inlueence upon the superior race and to a certain extent repel desirable immigration. It will afford me great pleasure to concur with tile Legislature in any constitutional action having for its object the repression of the imnigration of the Asiatic races. That. Mr. President. was the first official utterance from any public mat. anywhere against Chinese immigation. While there had been protests in California and protests in other sections. the protestants had not been in power. but as soon as the Republicans came into control in California that was what the Republican governor said. Of course it was a question beyond their control. of course it was a question fbr national authority and the exercise of national power. but it showed plainly that the Republican party then. as now. has been opposed to this kind of immigration. I desire now. Mr. President. to call attention to some other movements that have been made in the interest of the repression of this class of immigrants.