Since that time Congress has increased the tax from 50 cents to $1. and then from $1 to $2. and in 1907 the Senate increased the tax from $2 to $5. It went to the House of Representatives. and the House amended it. making it $4. which it is today. and is the amount provided for in this bill. At no one of these times was there a corresponding increase in the steerage rates. but as a yule there was. as in 1907. when the lax was doubled. being increased from $2 to $4. a decrease in the steerage rates of from $1 to $2. owing to the fact that the conference of steamship officials which met and do meet regularly to fix rates thought that the traffic would bear only a little less rate to yield them the greatest possible aggregate profits. I want to read an extract from a book on immigration. by Prescott F. Hall. to show what was done at the time when tha Congress increased the tax and to show what is being done today by the steamship companies to defeat this amendment. For example. while the matter was pending in the House the western agents for a foreign steamship company sent the following telegram to numerous persons: Immigration bill comes up in the House Wednesday. wlre your Congressman. our expense. protesting against proposed exclusion and requesting bill be defeated. informing him that vote in favor means defeat next election. At about the same time the agents and representatives of the same firm sent out a letter stating that if the Lodge bill became a law. immigration would be restricted "almost to the extent of total exclusion "-a most absurd statementand saying that every effort should therefore be made to defeat the bill. With this letter was sent a slip. as follows: Wire your Representative fully and let us know cost of telegram and we will promptly refund amount to you.
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steerage immigration Immigration