President. in any of its aspects. I should move to indefinitely postpone the bill. for I never had a nativistic thought in my life. and I believe that spirit is dead in this country. and has been for a great many years. The bill does not essentially change the traditional attitude of the United States toward the immigrant. It is not intended by it to close the doors to any man because he was born in a foreign land. On the contrary. as I understand it. it still holds out a hospitable welcome to every foreigner. provided only he be able to read and write in any language. If he is debarred under this bill. it is not because of his nativity. it is because he is illiterate and wanting in the rudimentary education which. according to the general experience of our people. is essential to good citizenship. and that at an age which according to the experience of the world renders. such defect in him usually ineradicable. It is not to be forgotten that the road from Castle Garden. or any landing place of immigrants. to citizenship in this country is a short and easy one. and it seems to me absurd that. while our people are expending millions of dollars every year to fit the young of the country. native and foreign born. those who are to bear the responsibility of citizenship and the duties of citizenship after us. in public and in private schools. for an intelligent discharge of those dutiesfor in this country the man who obeys the law is the man who helps to make the lawwhile some of our States have found it necessary to adopt amendments to their constitutions excluding from citizenship by an educational test those who can not read their statutes in some language and those who can not write. we should be adding year after year forever. at the dictation of steamship companies or anyone else. to the mass of illiterate persons by accepting confirmed illiterates. With the general scope of the bill I have no quarrel. but I do object seriously. Mr. President. to what seems to me an unnecessary element of harshness. If Senators will take the trouble to note the bill as to the educational test. which is the critical part. of course. they will find it excludes primarilyAll persons physically capable and over 16 years of age who can not rea d and write the English language. or some other language. I I regard it as unnecessary. as altogether too harshin its restrictive character. to require that an immigrant coming into this country shall. under penalty of being sent back to the country whence he came. be able both to read our Constitution and to write it in some language. It is adequate. Mr.
Keywords matched
immigrants immigrant foreign born