They come here simply for profit. A greatrace which means to do that and nothing else in the United States is better outside the line than inside. There is one other reason for Chinese exclusion which weighs with me with equal force. and I think it is what controls the people of this country in the policy which they have adopted. Let me first. before I state that second reason. call attention to the general immigration argument. The Senator from New Hampshire said the other day that worse men came over the border of the Atlantic coast than ever came in from China on the Pacific coast. He said we needed some restrictive laws for immigration generally. and I agree with him. I sought to get improved restrictive legislation here. and a bill bearing my name was carried through both Houses and vetoed by President Cleveland. Another bill passed the Senate to the same effect. but was lost in the other House. I think nothing is more important than additional restriction of immigration coming from eastern Europe now pouring in and taking the place of the races that have made and built up the United States. But. Mr. President. because we have not got suitable immigration legislation on the Atlantic coast is no reason why we should deny it elsewhere. I. at least. can not legislate in that way. It is no argument to say because we fail in one place that we should not succeed in another. If I can not get good legislation for Atlanticcoast immigration. I will try to get good legislation to exclude what I think is a damaging immigration which comes into our Western ports. The true arguments against the Chinese rests. first. as I have said. on the ground that they never can become a part of our citizenship. and. second. on the ground. as I feel it most strongly. that the Chinaman presents a form of economic competition which we can not meet. Under conditions which he can create he can survive and we can not survive.
Identified stereotypes
Chinese immigrants only come for profit and cannot become part of our citizenship.