Speech #590092336

Again. Mr. President. the CommissionerGeneral of Ifinnigration has repeatedly recommended this legislation as the only adequate means of efficiently restricting immigration and keeping out the undesirable elements of European and Asiatic immigration. which is today flooding the country. I will read what the CommissionerGeneral said ii his report of June 30. 1905: As a means of preventing a further Increase of alien Immigration. it will be necessary. if such a policy is deemed expedient. either to enlarge the prohibited classes by adding thereto those who are illiterate . those whom age or feebleness renders Incapable of selfsupport. if at all. but temporarily and under the most favorable conditions. those who have not brought a sufficient sum of money to enable them to maintain themselves for a reasonable time in the event of sickness or temporary lack of employment. or else to adopt adequate means. enforced by sufficient penalties. to compel steamship companies engaged in the passenger business to observe in good faith the law which forbids them to encourage or solicit immigration to the United States. The alternative of the Commissioners proposition our experience. I think. proves to be an illusion. No. prohibition or penalties against a steamship company engaged in bringing immigrants to this country has or will prove effective to exclude these undesirable classes. So the recommendation of the CommissionerGeneral would be. so far as practical results are concerned. reduced to his first proposition. to wit. a law excluding illiterates. Mr.-President. there has been a very marked change In the character of the immigration to this country during the last thirty years. In 1869. 73.8 per cent. and as late as 1880 64.5 per cent. of the entire immigration to this country came from northern and western Europe. They came chiefly from England. Scotland.