But the amendment of the Senator. if adopted. will allow for all time. whatever the fate of the Cuban controversy may be. illiterate persons to come from Cuba as immigrantsafter the war is over. after the Republic of Cuba has been established. and for all time. If this matter of excluding persons because they are illiterate is a correct test by which we shall regulate our immigration. and I think it is. it does not seem to me because there is imminent trouble in Cuba now that we should make a distinction in favor of Cuba. and. no matter what the fate of the country may be or what its future government may be. allow illiterate immigrants from Cuba to come to our shores. If the purpose of the Senator is what he says it is. then the amendment ought to be framed in some other way. Now. the bill will stand as a law on our statute books. We do not know where the next struggle for liberty may occur. We do not know in what country the patriotic. libertyloving sentiment may attack monarchical or despotic government. But if the amendment be adopted. then the immigrants or refugees from the country where the next conflict may take place will be excluded by the bill. while political refugees and immigrants from Cuba. which by that time may have been composed into a settled government. will be admitted under the bill. It is a discrimination. Mr. President. that we can not justly or logically make in the form in which it is proposed to make it. If the Senator had confined it to an amendment which would allow refugees from Cuba to come to our shores. and that only. and not affect the future immigration from the country when matters shall have been composed there. and allow ignorant people to come from that future country when they can come from no other country. much as I dislike to see the two questions combined. I should not have felt like making any suggestion whatever on the amendment. M r.
Keywords matched
immigrants immigration immigrantsafter refugees