Speech #540129863

Provided as inspectors are now appointed. Not so. Inspectors at the port of New York. at Ellis Island. are appointed simply for the purpose of inspecting the immigrants physically. to determine whether they come within the prohibited class as being criminals. lunatics. paupers. or persons likely to become a charge upon the country within one year. whether they are ill. whether they are suffering with disease or disability of any kind. But the inspectors to be provided under the proposed act are of an entirely different class. TChey are not inspectors who are to look after baggage and see that it is fumigated. They are not inspectors to see whether the germs of smallpox exist and whether filth and dirt prevail or whether the immigrants come within the classes prohibited. but they are to be appointed.with special reference to a high order of. educational qualification themselves. with reference to ability to determine whether or notthe immigrantis "qualified and capable" to pass the educational test in some one of 200 different languages written and spoken in the world. I hold in my hand. Mr. President. illustrations of 200 languages in this worldlanguages written and spokenin which these beafitiful words from the Holy Bible. so full of meaning the world overFor God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish. but have everlasting lifehave been printed and circulated. 200 languages written and spoken. not as dialects. but recognized the world over as having been translated from Holy Writ. Not unmeaning words like those of the Constitution of the United States. but so plain that he who runs mayread. as clearly seen to the mental vision in every land as was limned the sign of the cross in the skies to Constantine the Great. Now. the President of the United States must appoint. before this law can be made effective under this nauseous nostrum of the civilservice law. three commissioners. who must be able to appoint inspectors. some one of whom can read and write themselves and determine whether others have correctly read and written in some one of these 200 languages. designated by the immigrant himself. these printed slips. etc. I know that $1.500 a year. is paid to inspectors for the simple duty of determining whether immigrants are unclean and unhealthy. whether they are ill. whether they are lunatics. paupers. or persons likely to become a charge upon the community. but when you find a man who is able to speak one or many of these different languages and read them correctly. in order to determine whether the "immigrant" has written and spoken them correctly. double the salary of $1.500 and you will not yet have reached the maximum that should be paid in consideration of such distinguished services. The river Rhine. I own.