Speech #630132299

It has advanced in industry. in education. and in all that is good in government. We hear much talk about congestion in cities. we talk about high cost of living and backtotheland movement. If this great Committee on Immigration would study and propose means whereby the Immigrant would be distributed throughout our undeveloped portions of the country. one of our existing great problems would be solved. Mr. Chairman. in conclusion let me quote to you brief statements of some of the most prominent citizens of the country on this question. When President Cleveland vetoed an immigration bill in 1897. on account of the literacy test. he used this language: The ability to read and write as required In this bill. in and of itself. affords. in my opinion. a misleading test of contented industry. and supplies unsatisfactory evidence of desirable citizenship. or a proper apprehension of the benefits of our institutions. If any particular element of our Illiterate immigration is to be feared for other causes than illiteracy. these causes should be dealt with directly instead of making illiteracy the pretext for exclusion to the detriment of other illiterate immigrants. against whom the real cause of complaint can not be alleged. President Taft vetoed a similar bill for the same reason. On October 21. 1912.