Mr. Speaker. the authorization of these new immigration stations. which for the first time place some southern ports on all equality with northern and western ones. calls attention especially at this time to the tide of imimigration now setting so strongly toward us. There are many retsons for it. Prosperity amongt us. adliration for our fort of Government. the fertility of our lands. and the happy experiences of friends and relatives bring to us thousands. With these voluntary immigrants we are. perhaps. entitled to exercise a high degree of care and scrutiny. But there is another class to whom. if true to our traditions. we owe a duty of maintaining a land of liberty and of refuge. This class is the refugee fleeing from persecution and dangers in his native land. to him we must temper scrutiny with mercy. The present conditions in Russia are sending us thousands of unwilling immigrants. who leave their homes with as much reluctance as any of us possibly could ours. Not only must we receive these unfortunates. but if within our proper power we nus also do what we can to remove the cause of their dire distress. Heretofore we have been advised that we were without power. but it is now suggested that this view is inaccurate.
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immigrants immigration refugee