Speech #530032636

I am opposednot.alone to the language of this bill. I am opposed from the core of my heart to the spirit that dictatesa measure of this character.. From time to time in this country the naturalized. citizens and those entitled to naturalization have had to bear the brunt of attacks made upon them by a set of people who believe that they are the Lords anointed. destined to rule and reign. and that all others are subordinate to them and belong to a lower order of citizens. I desire to repel that sentiment. and I wish to say to the gentleman from Alabama that I. as one of the naturalized citizens of this country. consider myself the equal in every respect of any other citizen. no matter where his cradle may have stood. Is there in the history. in the traditions. in the laws of America any warrant for the arrogant assumption that there exists in this country a class of citizens entitled to higher privileges. to greater consideration. to more respect than any other? Ifthere is. I for one have failed to find it. I believe under our Constitution oar citizens whether native born or naturalized are equals before the law. The gentlemen who favor measures such as the one under consideration. whose very aim and object is that of oppressing the poor hardworking immigrant and of denying to him the rights of citizenship. seem to forget that they and each of them are descendants of these selfsame immigrants. It has become fashionable in aping the aristocratic customs of Europe for Americans to trace their lineage back into past centuries and to claim on the score of "blood." social. and other distinctions. But even the most distinguished branches of this selfcreated American aristocracy must carry back their table of ancestry to some immigrant who came to America at some time oranother. as poor and helpless.. and in most cases as ignorant. as are those against whom they are now so loudly proclaiming. Immigration in America is as old as the country itself and from the beginning of the history of our country it has been deemed not aeurse. as the adherents of knownothingism would now depict it. but as a boon to our land. The naturalization laws enacted from time to time in the early history of the colonies show a spirit of liberalitytoward the immigrant which ought to bring a blush of shame to the cheeks of those who disgrace the civilization of the nineteenth century by the intolerance they exhibit toward the men who. like. their forefathers. seek shelter from oppression. new. homes and prosperity in the land of liberty. In Pennsylvania a law providing for naturalization was enacted in 1682 which prescribes.a residence of only three months in order to entitle a foreigner to citizenship. In 1785 the constitution of the same State provided as follows: Every foreigner of good character. who has come to settle in this State. having firt taken the oath or affirmation of allegiance may purchase lands. after a residence of one year becomes a free denizen. and in two years is capable of being elected.a. epresentative. The early laws of other colonies contained equally liberal provisions. and throughout this legislation shows that the aim was to encourage aliens in becoming citizens and not. what seems to be the driftof the proposed laws of the pres ent. to place obstacles. in the way of the foreigners desire to take upon himself the duties and to acquire the rights of American citizenship. And it is not alone in the early history of the country that the immigrant was prized. This Government has countenanced and stimulated immigration at all times. I hold in my hand a report on immigration published by the Government in 1872. The very first sentence used by Dr. Young. the chief of the Bureau of Statistics. is a stern rebuke to that bigoted "aristocracy" who. believe that they perform an act of charity when they permit the immigrant to land upon these shores. He says in his report to the Secretary of thQ Treasury: In a country like ours. possessing rich and undeveloped resources. the advent of intelligent labor has in general been cordially welcomed. The value of this addition to our material wealth has never been more appreciated than during the last decades. Later on. in discussing the money value to the country by each immigrant. he says: The difficulty of determining the pecuniary or material value of the foreign population who come yearly to this country is notinconsiderable. asno data are accessible by which it can be accurately ascertained. Indeed. the very attempt to do so may appear derogatory to the dignity of human nature. To regard a man merely as an automatic machine. computing his productive power. minus his running expenses. places a low estimate on a being made in the image of his Maker. and seems an insult alike to the Creator and the created. The muscular power of the laborer may be measured. but where is the meter that can mark the activity of his brain or indicate his moral force? In making an intelligent estimate of the addition to the material wealth of the country by immigration. several distinct conditions should be regarded. The character of the immigrants as industrious and lawabiding citizens. theh nationalities. education. and previous condition. as well as their occupations and ages. are elements to be considered when determining their value. As regards nationality. more than onehalf of those who have thus far arrived in the.United States are British. and come from the United Kingdom. or from.the British possessions of North America. These speak our language. and a large part are acquainted with our laws and institutions. and are soon assimilated with and absorbed into our bodypblitc.