Speech #590059668

It fairly shrieked against the admission of the hardy visitors of sixty years ago. who. anxious to toil. came at a time when the young nation yearned for sturdy hands to hew the timber and clear the way into the great West. and capital In the East eagerly sought labor with which to prosecute great public projects. Notwithstanding that thne has proven the folly of their reasoning they still keep up the cry which has been taken up by. the majority party. A great alarm has been sounded by the Republicans warning the people against the invasion of foreign enemies In the form of immigration. and with an alacrity and willingness that would win approbation if exercised against the tariff evils they start to build legislative walls that will halt the progress of the immigrant. Our naturalization laws. too. are to be remolded. Radical changes will be wrought In our naturalization system unless there can be aroused sufficient interest to cause the Members of the House to carefully examine into the provisions of the bill now pending. It is my Intention today to confine myself strictly to a discussion of the measure before the House. which proposes many remarkable changes in the method of naturalization- Against many features of the bill I propose to briefly address a few objections. with little hope of pausing the majority in its desire to hamper the aliens ambition to obtain citizenship. Undoubtedly one of the most perplexing problems with which the governor has to cope is that of the subject of naturalization. It is apparent to everyone who has given a serious thought to the matter that our present laws are lamentably Inadequate in preventing gross frauds in naturalization. I think that we are unanimous in the opinion that some change Is necessary. that something ought to be done. that laws ought to be enacted which will bar the door of American citizenship to the perjurer. and the professional applicant. who for a price impersonates wouldbe citizens. and which shall insure the bringing to an end of the flourishing business of the dealer in citizenship papers. who sells his illgotten wares for magnificent prices to customers in Europe and the Orient. who covet the paper that permits them to masquerade as citizens of this country and guarantees the protection of its strong arm. All these frauds are possible because of the great difficulty. of apprehending the violators under our present laws. House bill No. 15442. reported by the Committee on Immigration. contains provisions which will unquestionably remedy these more dangerous abuses from which the country now suffers. Had the committee confined themselves to prescribing for the disease which weakens our naturalization laws it would have commanded the support of the entire House. But. like most bodies intrusted with the duty of formulating remedial legislation. It has fallen into the way of undertaking too much. It has gone too far. Instead of stopping with its commendable efforts of drafting a law that will unquestionably prevent fraudulent naturalization by perjury and impersonation it has tinkered with the whole system. offering remedies that are not only not required. but will prove harmful in the long run. It has challenged the opposition af a great many by establishing an educational feature. by depriving certain courts of jurisdiction. and by reporting an uncalledfor and unreasonable increase in the naturalization fee. For long over a hundred years the world has marveled at the unparalleled development of this magnificent nation of ours. This wonderful growth has been due in no small degree to the humane policy that allows the. 491.6 oppressed of the world to land on our shores. and to the spirit of friendliness in which we invite them to join our common citizenship.