Speech #590040985

That Commission made an exhaustive report. which was transmitted to Congress by the President on the 1st of March. 1905. In that report is contained two dgafts of proposed bills upon this subject. The report of this Commission and the draft of the bills submitted by the Commission have had the careful coisideration of the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. and this bill is in a large measure based upon the drafts of the bill prepared by that Commission. After we had considered the bills submitted by the Commission and the other bills introduced by the different Members of the House. the Committee on Immigration and Naturalization appointed a subcommittee consisting of five of its members to take all of these various bills. together with the report of the Commission. and out of those bills draft such a bill as would meet with the approval of the Committee on Ihilmigration and Naturalization. The bill presented today is the bill that that subcommittee prepared. submitted to the full Committee on Immigration and Naturalization. and received its unanimous support. Perhaps I can not do better than to give a general outline of the provisions of the bill. As I said a few moments ago. it does not seek to change the fundamental principles that have governed in naturalization cases from the foundation of the Government. except in two particulars. Those two particulars. Mr. Chairman. are. first. that before an alien c.an become naturalized. if this bill shall be enacted into a law. it will be necessary that he shall satisfy the court that he is able to write either in his own language or in the English language. and able to read. speak. and understand the English language. That Is the new qualification required of the alien for naturalization. You understand. Mr. Chairman and members of the committee. that this bill deals solely with naturalization. It does not touch the subject of immigration. That question is now being considered by the committee and lt is hoped and expected that it will be able to report a bill at this session of Congress upon that subject.