Speech #540118221

We do not need to look about us to find our proof. -It is not to individual instances that we need to point. Indeed. it is not to any general law or to any generally accepted idea of the value of intelligence that we need to ]o6k. Considered in relation to its application to this subject of immigration. we have only to look to the. statistics of immigratiofi for the past year. Let any doubting Thomas look at these figures here presented. Illiteracy of immigrants over 14 years of age. year ending June 80. 1896. Illiteracy. Number arrived PerNationality. over 14 Cah Can Total centyears of not not illiter- age of age. write. read or it write. eracy. AustriaHungary: Bohemia and Moravia ----------- 2. 06 9 231 240 11.45 Galicia and Bukowina ............ 11.165 634 6.107 6.741 60.37 Other Austria ................... -- 16.261 434" 5.281 5.915 36.38 Hungary ---------------------- 27.531 653 12.154 12.807 46.51 Belgium .............................. 1.003 1 144 145 14.46 Denmark ---------.---------------- 2.729 2 24 23 .9 France. including Corsica ----------- 2.112 8 95 103 4.88 Germauy --------------------------- 25.334 87 713 750 2.96 Greece ----------------------------- 1.984 3 517 520 26.21 Italy .............................. 57. 515 25 31.374 31.399 54.59 Netherlands ........................- 1.152 ....... 48 48 4.16 Norwav ...................... . 7.818 36 57 93 1.18 Portugal ----------------------------- 2.067 17 1.189 1. C6 77.69 Roumania ---------------------------604 2 125 127 21.03 Russia (proper) ---------------------- 85.198 1.667 12.816 14.483 41.14 Finland -------------------------- 5.576 274 385 659 11.82 Poland ------------------------------- 517 17 230 247 47.78 Spain -------------------------------- 329 - 19 33 52 15.81 Sweden ------------------------------- 18.824 73 146 219 1.16 Switzerland ------ --------------- 2. .22 " 16 16 .79 Turkey in Europe --------------------- 140 4 40 44 31.43 England .............................. 15.622 93 757 850 5.44 Irelan4 ------------------------------- 87.496 153 2.473 2.626 7 Scotland ----- -.------------------ 2. 806 41 119 160 5.70 Wales - ----------------------------- 1.140 4 139 143 12.54 All other countries ............... 11.476 860 2.317 3.177 27.16 Grand total --------------------- 290.526 5.066 78.130 83.196 28.63 It requires only a cursory examination of this table to disclose some interesting and exceedingly instructive facts. Among other things to be discerned in it is that the ability to read and write would seem to be a reasonably safe test of the desirability of an immigrant. No doubt there are many illiterate immigrants who will make good citizens. and many immigrants who can read and write who are wholly undesirable. but. in the main. this table indicates that the proposed test is strikingly and unexpectedly feasible and effective. Mr. Speaker. the gentleman from Louisiana made a very eloquent and forcible speech against the imposition of any barrier against the admission of foreigners to our shores. yet he admitted that the American people wanted such a measure as this passed. and declared that even in his own city. among his own constituents. there was an overwhelming sentiment in its favor.