Ind. To this list can be added the name of alnost every wellknown educator in this great country. President Cleveland. it 1897. perhaps stated as succintly as possible -the principal objec tion to the literacy test when he vetoed a similar bill to this one because of that objectionable test. He said: 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 prope apprehension of tie benefits of our Institutions. If any particular ele mcnt of our illiterate immigration is to be feared for other causes thai 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 also gave expression to his unalterable opposition to this test when lie Vetoed practically this selfsame bill in the last Congress. Secretary Nagel was of the opinion that illiteracy was often due to oppression. and that it was because of this that many of these immigrants. thus sought to be excluded. were coming to our shores. that they were really striving to free themselves from the conditions which made them illiterate. ExPresident Eliot. of Harvard. states his position as follows:
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Immigrants immigration immigrants literacy test