Speech #610071640

I believe I have the floor. The gentleman from New York can say what he wishes when he gets the floor in his own time. Judging from the letter just read. there is no authority of law for the regulation made by the immigration commissioner at New York. to which I have called attention. and for one I wish to enter a protest against that regulation. For many many years during the discussions on this floor on the question of immigration. efforts have been made by some to establish a money test for the admission of immigrants. but the House of Representatives and the Congress has not yet seen fit to stand before the world as advocating such a test of character and worth. I for one protest against it. If such a test had been in force years ago some of our best citizens would have been unable to land in the United States. and it is questionable whether even the pilgrim fathers would have been admitted under such a ruling. There are other things to be taken into consideration when we judge of the worth and valor and character of an immigrant than money. Think of applying such a test to a poor servant girl coming from Ireland. Germany. or the Scandinavian countries. Twentyfive dollars to her. and in the country whence she comes. represents a small fortune. and she is the very person we need in this country. because of the great lack of female servants. As a result of this regulation. arbitrarily made by that commission and against the law. thousands of persons have been deported within the last few weeks634 on a single day. Do we realize what it means to deport a man back to the country whence he came? Do we realize that that means the branding of that man for life. because when he returns to his home country the people will say. " Well. there must be some reason why you have been sent back."