Speech #620312896

I hold in my hand. Mr. President. a speech that I made on February 19. 18:. in the House of lRepresentatives. in which I discussed the clauge in the character of our immigration which has just been set forth by the Senator from Vermont [Mr. DILLINIIAMIJ. I then called attention to the fact. which all men know. that this country was settled and built up by the people from Great Britain anld Ireland. from Scandinavia. from Holland. from Germany. and from France. They were the people -who made the American colonies. they created the country which has opened its gates so freely to the poor and oppressed of all nations. I pointedout that immigration was then. as it is now. coming into this country from eastern and southeastern Europe which had never been assimilated or brought seriously into contact with the people who had made the United States. that these new immigrants were the offspring of a different civilization. the civilization of Greece and Asia. as against the civilization of Rome. to which western Europe was the heir. I then said that the admnission of these new elements demanded thought and care. that we ought not to run the risk of taking in these new elements faster than they could be properly assimilated with the body politic. Again. in 1896 in the Senate. nearly 20 years ago.