Speech #620137357

Substantially none. Previous to this we have had the general immigration law. and we have had the Chineseexclusion law. and they have been administered by. different divisions of the Bureau of Immigration. The department is anxious to consolidate them. By this bill we bring them under one administration. We have raised the requirements connected with the admission of European immigrants to place them upon a level with the regulations governing Chinese immigration in all respects. except the requirement of certificates by those coming from China. That is of no practical value. and I do not care whether it is in the bill or whether it is omitted. Let me illustrate. We now give a certificate to the Chinese immigrant. when he is admitted to this country. show.ing that he has been properly admitted. Under this bill we give a certificate to every admitted immigrant. so that he can have the evidence that he has been legally admitted. In addition to that. we send a duplicate copy of such certificate to the Bureau of Naturalization. When that immigrant comes to be naturalized. he shows his certificate. he is identified by the corresponding certificate. and then It is known that no fraud has been committed. It is a help to the immigrant rather than an imposition. The proposed law. it is believed. will accomplish all that is accomplished under the present laws. so far as the exclusion of Chinese laborers is concerned. and it is also believed that it will lead to a satisfactory and permanent settlement of the Asiatic immigration question generally on grounds that are entirely justifiable. The literacy test as a means of reducing the present large immigration of unskilled laborers. the great majority of whom enter the industrial field. was recommended by the Immigration Commission. The commission reported that its investigations showed an oversupply of unskilled labor in the basic industries to an extent which indicated an oversupply of such labor in the industries of the country as a whole. and recommended that a sufficient number of immigrants be debarred to produce a marked effect on the unskilled labor supply. As far as possibleThe commission saysthe aliens excluded should be those who come to this country with no intention to become American citizens or even to maintain a permanent residence here. but merely to save enough by the adoption if necessary. of low standards of living to return permanently to their home country. Such persons are usually men unaccompanied by wives or children. The commission recommended the literacy test as the most feasible means of accomplishing this end. and while the test as a means of improving the quality of immigration may be considered of doubtful value by some. as a practical means of reducing immigration of the class referred to it undoubtedly would be a success. Certainly it would affect most the races whose immigration is for the most part a movement of unskilled laborers. who come without families. live under conditions which make them unfair competitors of those who have been born to or have adopted an American standard of living. send the greater part of their earnings to Europe. and eventually return there. only to be replaced in the American industrial field by other immigrants of the same type. Undoubtedly the literacy test would reduce this particular class of immigration by nearly. if not quite. onehalf. Moreover. the test is entirely practicable and essentially humnan. for in itself it would leave no doubt as to the inadmissibility of the potential immigrant. whereas many who are of other debarred classes find it necessary to cross the ocean in order to learn that they can not be admitted. It may also be said in favor of the literacy test that its enforcement can practically be placed upon the steamship companies. and this. as well as the enforcement of the provision excluding persons not eligible to naturalization. is assured by a provision of the bill. under which such companies are fined $100 foreach alien of the specified classes illegally brought to a United States port. The proposed change in the character and manner of appointment of boards of special inquiry is based on a recommendation of the Immigration Commission. These boards are important factors in the administration of the law. and it is very desirable that they be composed of men of especial ability and training for the work. Up to this time they have been appointed from the boards of immigrant inspectors. They have had to pass in a judicial capacity upon most important questions arising in disputed cases. The commission do not think that they have been equal to the responsibility imposed upon them by the law.