Speech #540118000

Mr. Speaker. these are the main differences between the conference report and the House bill as it passed this body during the last session of Congress. There are very many reasons whK we ought to do something on this subject of immigration. Each of the great political parties of the country have from time to time and from year to year promised that they would in some way restrict immigration. This is the first measure that has been proposed for a number of years that extends the disabilities of immigrants. and it extends them in a direction. in my judgment. that is entirely proper. not alone because of illiteracy. but for many other reasons which could be assigned. Now. as to the number of illiterates seeking our shores from year to year. I have before me the report of the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration for the year ending June 30. 1896. You will find on page 30 of the report that the number of illiterates who reached this country during that fiscal year was 66.314. out of a total of 263.709. Of this illiteracy a very large proportion came from southern and eastern Europe. The percentage of illiteracy from the Scandinavian States was exceedingly small. less than 1 9 er cent. from Denmark it was but .95. from Norway 1.18. from weden 1.16. from Germany less than 3 per cent. from England about 5 per cent. and Ireland only 7 per cent. But when you come to the countries of eastern and southern Europe the percentage runs up to over 60 of illiterates. So that the immigration that comes to us from Germany and from the Scandinavian states. and the countriesof western and northern Europe. will be affected very little by the passage of the act. It will not reach the servant girls who come from Sweden. Norway. and Germany.