The question is whether a million men who do not know how to read and write contain as good qualifications for citizenship as a million men who do know how to read and write. To say that a million illiterate men are equally qualified for citizenship with a million educated men is to impeach our whole commonschool systen. I aloubt whether this bill. if enacted into law. is going to cut down immigration in this country as much as some people expect. I believe that immigration will be reduced in consequence by perhaps 200.000 souls at the outside. Our immigration expands and shrinks from year to year a great deal more than 200.000 souls. But whether an illiteracy test would exclude 100 men or 1.000.000 men. this bill introduces a new principle which I. welcome. If we adopt this measure. the United States for the first time will recognize the principle that immigration ought to be cut down. even if in so doing we exclude many men whom we all acknowledge would make desirable citizens. In other words. for the first time we shall declare that there are too many people coming into this country. even ii they are all of them the best and most desirable material for citizenship. For the first. time we shall admit that good immigration as well as bad immigration must be cut down. Inasmuch as I believe that good immigration as well as bad immigration ought to be diminished. I welcome this bill as a broad entering wedge destined. I hope. to be followed by more restrictive legislation. It is my belief that the volume of immigration must be substantially reduced or else suspended for a term of years. The maintenance of the American standard of living is of transcendent importance. Beware of permitting it to be undermined by that reckless policy which permits unlimited immigration. I yield the remainder of my time to the gentleman from California .
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immigration