Speech #570083722

Knowing how equally patient and conscientious work of past Congressional committees had been rendered fruitless and needed legislation throttled by the addition of extraneous matter. offered in the shape of amendments ostensibly for the purpose of perfecting but really with the effect of ultimately defeating pending legislation. I urgently opposed in the House. while the bill was under consideration. all amendments that led in any other direction than that planned by the committee I had the honor to represent. That committee having unanimously placed in my hands a bill framed after most careful thought. embracing substantially the experience of the Treasury Department. as to what was needed. and indorsed personally. in writing. by the honorable Secretary of the Treasury. and by the CommissionerGeneral of Immigration and his experts. as well as in the main essentials by the recent Industrial Commission. which had gone into the subject of immigration thoroughly and exhaustively. I felt it my duty to save this bill from the fate that had fallen to so many others. Knowing the urgent need of legislation at this session of Congress. and the danger of attempting too many things in one bill. I felt it was unfair to load down the bill with additions which might prevent the passage of the legislation itself. Substantially as reported by the committee the bill passed the House. with the exception of the amendments prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liquors at immigrant stations and at the Capitol at Washington. and establishing an educational test. For the reasons already stated. I believed it to bemy duty to strenuously oppose these amendments.