President. I wish to say. first. in regard to the precise effect of the amendment. that it applies only to the proposed law. Hitherto our legislation in regard to immigration has excluded persons liable to become a charge on the community. criminal or diseased persons. and contract laborersobjectionable classes which the United States shut out on account of objections to them. This is the first measure of a general restrictive character. and it applies the test of illiteracy with a view of excluding also the ignorant. The Cuban amendment proposed by the Senator from Alabama applies only to the pending bill. not to the prior immigration laws of the United States. as I understand it. I think that the amend ment is rather too broadly drawn. and is obnoxious to the objection that has just been made by the Senator from Connecticut. that is. I think after Cuba has become. as we all hope it will become. an independent and settled government. it would still allow immigrants from that country. and favor them over the immigrants from other countries. That I do not think ought to be the case. I believe it should apply to the Cubans only during the time when they are engaged in war with Spain or suffering from the oppressions of that country.
Keywords matched
contract laborersobjectionable immigration immigrants