Speaker. we can all agree upon general principles. but the difficulty is. I confess. in framing a measure which will meet the exigency. a measure practical in its application and which will subserve the purposes which we have in view. Any test that is employed. short of an absolute exclusion of immigrants. must necessarily be an arbitrary onemust necessarily bear hard in individual casesbut the sole question should be. What will be its general operation and effect? Now. I favor this bill as recommended by the conference report because I believe that. even with its shortcomings. its general features are salutary. To be sure. objections have been urged to it. It is said. in the first place. that it will separate husband and wife. but the great transatlantic steamship companies. which have been making money by transporting the unworthy from foreign climes to our shores. have established their agencies the world over. and the moment it is distinctly understood that by the terms of this bill these companies must send back to the lands from which they have invited them those immigrants who are incapable of complying with this educational test. that minute the husband and wife will be informed of the existence of this test. and if unable to pass it. they will remain abroad instead of undertaking a venture which they know will be fruitless. If perchance. however. they happen to reach these shores. one of them being able to pass the educational test and the other unable. then if they choose to separate. one to become a citizen of this country and the other to go back to the land from which they came. the separation is their own act and not the act of the American people. whose sacred and substantial rights are to be regarded by us rather than the rights of particular individuals from abroad.
Keywords matched
immigrants