Speech #590183042

Mr. Speaker. the passage of this and the two other bills for new ininigrant stations is perhaps a proper occasion to call attention to the changes in the imigration law which. for the most part. go into effect on July 1.. 1907. It is believed that the new law will greatly assist in the administration of the imiigration law and also exclude certain classes of undesirable immigrants not now excluded. Tie changes in the new immigration bill were made for the following reasons. and expected in each instance to accomplish the following purposes: Section 1: The increase in the tax from $2 to $4 is expected to secure a fund of about a million dollars a year. which. paid into the United States Treasury. will recolmpense indirectly the country for the expenditure which it might make on individual imigrants before they become selfsupporting. It is believed that this fund will be anple for that purpose. and if it does nlot go directly to the States spending the money. itat least goes into a funtd of the country. The change in the exemptions from " citizens of Canada." etc.. to " aliens who have lived for a year in the Dominion of Canada." etc.. was made for the reason that with increased head tax it was fenrod that some nation other than those specifically menI oned in the bill would raise the question of our right to extend at privilege to one nation which was not extended to all. and that such objecting nation might raise international questions based upon tile mostfavorednation clause which is in most treaties. The words " or contractlabor laws " were inserted so as to nmake certain that the immigration fund could be used for the enfor(ement of the contractlabor laws. which are not. strictly spehnklg. entirely immigration laws. Thie exemption of " aliens in transit through the United States" was inserted so as not to discriminate against steamship companies bringing aliens -to ports in our country which aliens were destined for other countries. he exemption of Guan. Porto Rico. and Hawaii from the hel:d tax was made because of the effort which is being made to attiact immigrants to those places. and the desire not to put any hindrance in the way of such efforts. The libor condition maintained at the end of section -1 speaks for itself. and. while possibly useful in relation to the existing .Japanese situation. will be useful at any time when industrial conditions become less prosperous. and immigrants who have gone to Canada. tile Canal Zone. Guam. Cuba.