Speech #590120225

Mr. Chairman. I desire to say just a few words in support of the proposition as reported by the committee relative to the $5 head tax. There were various propositions before the committee. and there will perhaps be offered amendments to increase the head tax. I am not a highheadtax man. I support this proposition as presented by the committee against the proposition to increase the head tax beyond that. I believe. Mr. Chairman. that this bill will pass. and I believe this bill will entail considerable expense. There are general propositions invollved in it. so far as the execution of the immigration plans are concerned. that will increase the expenses and will necessitate. in my opinion. an increase of the head tax to meet those expenses. It is true. as gentlemen have said. that under the present law the Bureau of Immigration has not been able to consume the amount of the head tax that has really been realized. but. Mr. Chairman. there is a bureau of information provided for in this bill. It is a bureau of information that every State in this Union will have an interest in. and in connection with that the States are authorized to have their agents at each immigration post. and the immigration inspectors and the commissioner. are required to have quarters prepared for these State agents who attend the post. Then there is that item additional. and an additional expense when each State has an agent. and it provides that these agents shall be furnished information whenever they request it. Not only that. but this bill will require more careful and more cautious and active guarding of the Canadian and Mexican borders. In that way a very great additional expense. in my judgment. will be incurred. and we Will find that after a while these additional expenses will more than consume the amount allowed under the $1 head tax. and we will be having a deficit. and it will be necessary to pass additional appropriations for the purpose of carrying out our policy with this information bureau and these guards. It is my opinion that it is necessary that there should be an increase. I believe the $5 additional increase will meet all the necessary expenses. at least for a long time to come. Not only that. but there is another item. This bill proposes that there shall be a more careful examination and weeding out of these immigrants on the other side of the waters. so that they will not be put to the necessity or the expense and trouble and inconvenience of being returned if they are not admitted. That will. of course. incur additional expense. There are many other items that I could name all of which I believe render it necessary to have this increase.