Speech #570104010

Now. Mr. Chairman. as a matter of fact. when the debate on the immigration bill took place in this House last May. as may be found by consulting the RECORD. it was on this side of the House and by leading and prominent members of this side of the House that the chief efforts and the leading speeches were made looking to the restriction of immigration upon an educational basis. and for the purpose of securing just what this gentleman says we ought to havean intelligent class of labor. I find that the gentleman from Alabama made a very able speech and advocated an amendment imposing an educational qualification upon immigration to this country. in order to exclude this inferior and ignorant class of whom the gentleman from Iowa so contemptuously spoke in his remarks the other day. I find that the gentleman from Missouri was the leading opponent of any such restriction. and was ably aided and abetted by other Republicans on that side of the House. I find that two distinguished Missouri gentlemen . both Democrats. made able speeches here at length in favor of a rigid discrimination against the ignorant and the lawless and the incompetent classes from the Old World. and that they were met by opposition on the other side of the House. under dates May 21. 22. 29. on pages 6768. 5813. 5989. and following. There was no recorded vote here upon the bill. but I state. as a fact that can b5 verified by the personal observation of every member of this House. that when the vote was taken upon that immigration bill nearly every member on this side voted in favor of restricted immigration. And I will call attention to another fact. That bill passed this House. It has been in a Republican Senate ever since and lies there unacted upon. when. if it was the desire of the Republican party of this country to restrict immigration. as the gentleman from Iowa thinks it ought to be. it could have been readily done.