Speech #620198744

Mr. Chairman. I have never shared the feeling which many gentlemen seem to have against the character of the immigration from along the Mediterranean Sea. or. as is usually described. from the south of Europe. My town is largely made up of people of foreign birth. or the children of .people of foreign birth. I have never noticed any evidence that there was any injury to the country from those people. I believe that the educational system of the country and the movement of people from one place to another in the country have proven of sufficient force and effect to largely change in the children of these people what we imagine at least to be the characteristics of many of them. I have no doubt that the children of the people from the south of Europe will prove of as great value to the citizenship of this country as have the children of the immigrants from Ireland. I can easily remember when there was just as much feeling in the country. probably more. against a large share of the immigrants coming from Ireland. and they came in great numbers for a while. He would be a very foolish man who did not understand now that the Irish blood infused into the American citizenship has proven itself of enormous value in every direction. I imagine the same thing will be true of the south of Europe. I agree with the gentleman from Alabama and others that there might properly be some steps taken to restrict the number of immigrants. not because their character is objectionable as to any particular individual. but because the immigration is probably a trifle larger than can be profitably absorbed in the labor market and possibly a trifle larger than can be absorbed in the intellectual life of the country. I never have seen any reason myself for believing that the educational test. reading and writing. as proposed by the Senate bill. or reading as proposed by the existing proposition reported by the House committee. is the proper test. I am led to say these few words on the subject because of the remarks which the gentleman has just made with reference to the facilities on board ship. It seems to me that if we would make it less profitable to the steamship companies to get hold of immigrants in order to bring them over here we would correct the condition of which we complain. and we would do it in the proper manner. Require more space on board ship for each immigrant. Make it more comfortable for the immigrants who come and less profitable for the steamship companies who scour Europe urging them to comeor perhaps I ought not to say that. for that is forbidden. but advertising-