On the subject of the amendment offered by the Senator from Iowa. as I understand the question ot transit. as the law is now understood and in force. including the Scott exclusion act. it does not prevent the transit of persons who are to go through and not to come into this country in any proper sense. except as a mode of travel in this world to get from one. point to another. which it is proper for them to do. I do not understand that it is admitted or that it can be claimed to be a violation of the Scott act. The Senator from Iowa has been asked. as a member of the Judiciary Committee and as an excellent lawyer. as he is. but the Administration. both of the last Presidential term and of this. have taken the opinions of the law officers of this Government that this -transit now regulated is according to law. and all that is now introduced. as I understand it. by the Senator friom Iowa is made necessary by legislation included in this bill. If the Senator who sits behind me. from Oregon. wants to strip this measure of everything but census. I am willing. and that is my effort. and I shall hope to accomplish it. but the point Is that there is much peccant matter in this. and the Senator from Iowa was quite right in saying that. under that peccant clause that I denounced. this at least should not arise. that we should stand as a barrier to travel across this continent when our steamships and our railroad lines make it the route of travel for the world.
Keywords matched
exclusion act