Speech #520115744

President. my objection. and the only objection. to the pending bill is the fact that it tends to place within the grasp of the Federal Government very extraordinary powers. and a class of powers the extent of which has not yet been measured and which have never heretofore been exercised by Federal authority. I am always reluctant to increase the domain of Federal power unless some clear exigency or necessity demands it. The exigency which is supposed to justify a total embargo upon immigration. to wit. the apprehension of the inva. sion of contagious disease. is sufficient in the opinion of some Senators and in my opinion to justify this extraordinary power of the entire suspension of immigration. But I do not believe that the immigration interests. so to speak. are so overwhelming. so great that they should subordinate every interest of the nativeborn or resident citizen of the United States. and that there can be no possible discrimination between the immigrant who comes here to settle and make his home and those who happen to be abroad and wish to return to their native home. I believe that a suspension of immigration. if that would measurably meet the exigency. is not so great a hwdship upon those who are prevented from seeking a new home in this country that it could not be justified. but I do believe that we can discriminate wisely between those who come on that account and those who already have a vested interest in citizenship and home in this country. to whom this country alreadly belongs. I think we are not doing any injustice to those who are ambitious of citizenship in this country if we ask them to pause a little until what we may think a threatened danger has passed away. I see no great injustice in the discrimination. The people who are designated as immigrants. worthy people. people who have in the past and present contributed and are contributing to develop the wealth of the country. nevertheless come for their own benefit. they come for the improvement of their own condition. and they are not so absolutely necessary to the health and wealth of this country that we should feel we were under bond even in so grave an emergency as a threatened contagion of cholera not to interfere with their rights.