Mr. Chairman. to northern cities and some of the Northern States than it is to any Southern State or any southern city. I do not say that the South is not interested in immigration. It is. The reason I say that the South is not primarily as much interested in the question of immigration is because the Southern States. for reasons and conditions easily explained. are not suffering from the intolerable conditions existing today in some of our northern cities and other sections. resulting directly from the unrestrained flood of immigrants of all classes from foreign countries to our shores. It is certainly true that the South has received less than 10 per cent of the immigrants that have comne to our country in the last ten years. It is today an undeniable fact that it is the undesirable class of immigrantspaupers and criminalswho have located in Northern States and cities that causes the present imperative demand for a change in our immigration laws. by such restrictions as we find contained in this bill. reported by the Immigration and Naturalization Committee of this House. It certainly behooves us of the South to avoid in every possible way the introduction of that class of immigrants into our section that would burden us. as they have done in the North. with vast expenditures for their support. We do not wish to repeat among our people the gorged tenements. the diseasebreeding congestion of illiterate and immoral colonies of aliens that have been a curse to northern cities. The South nmy stand in need of labor. but we can afford to wait. and wait for years. before we open our doors to an influx of such immigrants as the North is now trying to get rid of. The States of the North and the cities of the North are actively seeking to rid themselves of this scandalous foreign elemnent that is the chief burden on their charities. who pay no taxes and despiso - form of government. law. and order and revel in riots and - .rchy. I hope their deliverance will be accomplished. but the South does not want that class to be sent down on that section. nor do we intend to take them. Mr. Chairman. we have passed the point of needing statistics to convince this House that the present importation of immigrants to this country is a menace to our free institutions. It is simply appalling. and. if left unrestricted and allowed the same freedom of ingress as exists now for ten years to come. the degradation of our American civilization will be accomplished beyond redemption. Yes. the principles of our Government. established as the most wonderful political paradox by our fathersthat those who make the laws are ruled and governed by the laws they makewill be forgotten and lost. We are all agreed that it -is time to act and act decisively. We may talk about wanting "desirable" immigrants. That means but little. There are great interests in this country that would think any alien "desirable." regardless of his ignorance or debased criminal tendencies. if he would serve the purpose of a strike breaker or had his fare paid on a railroad train to some distant point in the country.
Identified stereotypes
Immigrants are described as an unrestrained flood of all classes, undesirable, paupers, criminals, a menace to free institutions, and a degradation of American civilization.