Speech #620291712

Mr. Speaker. we witness again in these days a clamor. of which ve may well doubt the sincerity. about the supposed evils of immigration. We have heard the same protest go up at different times in our history. We know its meaning. and we are thoroughly familiar with the motives of those who are making it. It proceeds from a class of our citizenship that seems unable to comprehend and. at any rate. is reluctant to be guided by the true spirit that underlies the Government we live under. Keep out immigration. cry they. and preserve America for Americans. The slogan is catchy. but it is insincere. Those using it can not give proper reasons to justify its enforcement. and when we consider the subject it refers to we find that there are no valid reasons why it should be enforced. Hitherto it has been our unbroken policy to encourage to this continent the Influx of sturdy and industrious foreigners. From the beginning of our national existence the stream of immigration has been steady and uninterrupted. The downtrodden of all hands. however oppressed. whether politically. religiously. or industrially. were taught to reverence our flag as the symbol of a people ardently attached to the doctrine that all men are created equal. and who would. because of this belief. give the industrious immigrant the opportunity to reap the rewards to which good character and patient toil would entitle him. So he came here hopefully and confidently became naturalized and cast his lot among us. He became the fulcrum of the lever of American enterprise and genius. which built up the country across the continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific. He lifted the lusty young Nation to a high and commanding plane of Avealth and power. But. of course. he was of the "old immigration." and the advocates of this bill hasten t6 tell us that with this class of foreigners they have no objection. It is extremely fortunate for them that they feel this way about the matter. because the descendants of this "old immigration " have multiplied very rapidly. and in many places are politically strong enough to resent any aspersions on their hardworking forefathers by cutting short the official careers of such Members of Congress as might be guilty of making them. But nevertheless these old Immigrants had their struggles. They were opposed everywhere by the prejudiced and unreasoning. a class who. if living today. would. I am satisfied. be numbered. in spite of disproving experience. among the advocates of this proposed literacy test. As an instance of what they had to bear with. just listen to this liberal and discriminating observation that emanated in this broad land of enlightennent in 1835. A pamphlet issued in that year by "An American." Mr.