Mr. Speaker. there are bills pending in this House now affecting immigration. and a test is to be made. if we are to understand the gentleman from Alabama aright. and if there is any real steam behind the gentleman from Georgia [Mr. R 0DDENBERY. as to whether immigrants shall be admitted to this country who can not read and write. I am in favor of properly restricting immigraI tion. The criminal. the infirm. the helpless. the pauper. and the insane ought to be kept out of this country. but the man who can not read and write. who comes here for a worthy purpose and desires to take advantage of the opportunities offered by this country to his forefathers and to assume the same responsibilities. should not be barred solely for the reason indicatNl. Here is a provision which proposes that alien seamen. whether they can read or write or not. may come into this country and have the advantages of all the courts of our land. without making any provision whatever for those citizenship obligations which the rest of us have to assume. I desire to say that if this provision is allowed to stand without the amendment which I have offered. a sluiceway will be opened for men to come into this country who do not conform to the immigration regulations of the United Statesmen who may be criminals. men who may not be fit for citizenship in the United Statesand it seems to me this is the time to insert a precautionary provision. so that men who are neither sailors nor firemen. but who assume to come in as such. though at heart and in experience and of record they may be crooks. shall not come into the United States in violation of those laws which impose restrictions upon all others.
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immigrants immigration immigraI