Speech #540081141

The report may be read as part of the gentlemans remarks. The report was read. as follows: The Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. to whom was referred the bill entitled "A bill to amend the immigration laws of the United States." beg leave to submit the following report. and recommend that in lieu of House bill No. 9 the substitute do pass without amendment. This is a bill enacting that three months after its passage no male person unable to read and write his own language shall be admitted to the United States. excepting children under the age of 16 years and parents of persons now living in or hereafter admitted to this country. While tile committee is unanimously of the opinion that good immigration is still beneficial and necessary for the development of the vast resources of our country. a regard for public sentiment as to the undesirability of certain classes has prompted them to favor the addition of the socalled illiterates. with the restrictions indicated. to the classes excluded under existing laws. A cursory examination of the figures bearing upon the question of an educational test will demonstrate that such a test will not materially affect the immigration from Great Britain. Germany. Scandinavia. and other countries of northern Europe. which countries as a rule send us the most desirable class of immigrants. while under it the immigration from southern Europe. now looked upon as more or less undesirable. will be considerably restricted. The following table. showing the percentage of illiterates by nationalities. will give an idea of the effect of this bill on immigration from the countries furnishing the largest quota of immigrants: Percentage Percentage of illiterates of illiterates Nationalities. in total im- Nationalities. in total immigration migration from each from each country. country. Portugal ................ 67.35 Spain .................... 8.71 Italy ------------------- 52.93 Ireland ------------- ...... 7.27 Galicia and Bukowina.. 45.08 Finland ------------------- 3.58 Poland ---- -------------- 39.82 France (including CorHungary ---------------- 37.69 sica) ------------------- 3.50 Russia (proper) ........ 3G.42 England ------------------ 8.49 Other Austria 82-------- 3:. 70 Netherlands ............. 3.38 Greece ------------------ 25.18 Scotland --------_------ 2.83 Rouinania .............. 17.75 Germany ----------------- 2.49 Belgium-------------------15.22 Norway--------- --------- 1.02 Turkeyin Europe .14.79 Sweden-- ------------------- .74 Wales ------------------- 10.43 Switzerland --------------- -. Bohemia and Moravia_. 8.95 Denmark ----------------- . 49 The original bill provided for the exclusion of male and female illiterates. but in view of the conceded scarcity of female white servants in nearly all p parts of the country the committee deemed it wise to exempt females from the illiteracy test an& admit them as heretofore.