Speech #630133043

Spain. Syria. and Turkey. Many years ago the State of South Carolina passed a law intended to encourage immigration from the north of Europe ald by implication to discourage it from the southern European countries. The number coming into the United States from tile north of Europe in 182 was 563.170. as compared to 83.320 from southern European countries. Ii 1907 the conditions were reversed. the northern Europeans numbering 227.851 and the southern ones 971.608. Computing from tables for the years 1899 to 1909. the per cent of illiteracy among northern Europeans was found to be 2.7 per cent. while among the southern ones it was 35.6. It will thus be seen that the literacy test will have the effect of excluding many ilmigrats from the countries of southern and eastern Europe. These people differ from us in their ideas of both government and religion. and coming in such large numbers are very difficult and to a large extent impossible to assimilate. A certain amount of new blood brought into a country may do good. but we do not wait so many peoples of such different characteristics. or they will in time change the entire character of our civilization. Last year the immigrants coming to this country exceeded 1.400.000. and the present indications are that the number for this year will exceed 1.800.000. The United States already has one race problem on its handswhat the inal solution will be nobody can say with certainty. except that the white race in this country will always rule. It is also true that the presentday immigrants from southern Europe compose the large part of that class of transient limligrants which we find becoming such a factor in our civiliz:itioi. Statistics show that of all the immigrants coming to this counitry about 30 per cent return home after a stay of a few years here. Among the immigrants from eastern and southern Europe about 40 per cent return. Such a course is most belleficial to Europe. and the authorities there never discourage immigration where the immigrant expects to return shortly and invest his savings in his native country. Not only does the capital he brings with him increase tile wealth of the home country. but the new ideas he has absorbed in America. the business methods he has learned. and his training there all contribute to make him a more desirable citizen than he was whenl he left home. He enjoys a state of affluence which makes him the envy of al the natives of his village and stimulates them with a desire to follow his example by emigrating to Ametica as le has done and returning home better off financially and in every other way. It would be difficult to estimate the amount of American .wealth which eventually finds its way to Europe. The newspapers always herald a new foreign alliance or marriage. dwelling upon the millions which will go out from America in the purchase of a foreign title. but the amount of wealth lost in this way is small as compared with the steady stream which flows every year in the wake of the returning immigrant. It can not be said. however. that the return of the immigrants earnings is an absolute loss to the United States. " But looking at the question from our standpoint. it would be far better to secure a class of immigrants who intend to remain permanently and have a part in the upbullding of this country. Then America would have the benefit not only of their energy. but of their accumulated capital as well. The immigrants of the older type from the north of Europe. being mostly of AngloSaxon extraction. easily adapt themselves to conditions in the United States and as a rule remain here. It is the races of southern Europe. alien to us in religion. blood. and ideals. that chiefly compose the birds of passage. coming to America for a few years and then returning with all they can carry away. As the literacy clause mostly affects these southern Europeans. it will have the effect of excluding many of the immigrants who come to this country for only a temporary stay. In looking at any question of this nature it is well to see in just what way it is productive of most good or harmful effects. The demand for restriction comes with greatest insistence from the labor organizations throughout the country. and undoubtedly it is on them that the �greatest influence of immigration is felt. The president of the American Federation of Labor. speaking for that organization. as did the officials of the Farmers Union and many other organizations. including the Junior Order of United American Mechanics and substantially all other patriotic orders in this country. demanded that further restrictions be placed on the admission of aliens. A great many immigrants from eastern and southern Europe go at once into the mines upon their arrival here. the great majority of them being unskilled in any line of employment. Being unable to speak English. and often to read even their own language. they are unable to comprehend intelligently the instructions given them or read the notices posted for their safety. As a result of both their ignorance and carelessness many accidents have occurred. rendering conditions under which the work must be done much less safe than formerly. Many of the later class of immigrants come without their wives or families. and being thus able to live. banded together in camps. they can accept lower wages than those on which the native laborer can live. As a result the scale of wages has been lowered to the point that the American laborer has been almost driven out of certain lines of employment. and this without benefit to the American people generally in the cost of living or otherwise. It is not the low tariff that results in low wages. but unrestricted immigration. Had the last Republican President been so solicitous for maintaining high wages he would not have vetoed a bill which had that end in view and was desired by labor organizations all over the country. The literacy test seeks to remedy these evils so far as possible. No one test would absolutely result in separating the wheat from the tares. the good from the undesirable immigrants. By excluding the ignorant ones. however. we rid ourselves of many dangers. Nqeither do we absolutely close our doors against any persons honestly desiring to better their condition by emigrating to a land of equal opportunities. To learn to read and write ones own language is not an insuperable difficulty. and those .who wish to come here will make better citizens if we require of them that they acquire some of the essentials for good citizenship before leaving their native country. I would also have the examination of their fitness made. if possible. at the point of embarkation. Then. at least. America will not be put to the expense of their education. and it will result in giving to us a better. because a more intelligent. and ambitious class of immigrants. Mr. Chairman. I heartily approve of section 3 of the bill. which I shall insert at the close of my remarks: . SEC. 3. That the following classes of aliens shall be excluded from admission into the United States : All idiots. imbeciles. feebleminded persons. epileptics. insane persons. and persons who have been insane within five years previous. persons who have had one or more attacks of insanity at any time previously . paupers. persons likely to become a public charge. professional beggars* vagrants. persons afflicted with tuberculosis in any form or with a loathsome or dangerous contagious disease . pa rsons not comprehended within any of the foregoing excluded classes who are found to be and are certified by the examining surgeon as being mentally or physically defective. such mental or physical defect being of a nature which may affect the ability of such alien to earn a living. persons whohave been convicted of or admit having committed a felony or other crime or misdemeanor involving moral turpitude. polygamists. or persons who admit their belief in the practice of polygamy. anarchists. or persons who eieve in or advocat e overthrow by force or violence of the Government of the United States. or of aii forms of law. or who disbelieve in or are opposed to organized government. or who advocate the assassination of public officials or who advocate or: teach the unlawvful destruction of property . persons wvho are members oi or affiliated with any organization entertaining and teaching disbelief in or opposition to organized government. or who advocate or teach te duty. necessity. or propriety of tie unlawful assaulting or killing of any officer or officers. either of specific individuals or of officers generally. of to t or he United States or of any other organized government. because of his or their nfficial character. or who advocate or teach the unlawful destruction of property. prostitutes. or women or girls coming into the United States for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose. persons w ho procure or attempt to bring in prostitutes or women or girls for the purpose of prostitution or for any other immoral purpose. persons who are supported by or receive in whole or In part tie proceeds of prostitution persons hereinafter called contract laborers. who have been induced. assisted. encouraged. or solicited to migrate t this country by offers or promises of employment. whether such offers or promises are true or false. or in consequence of agreements. oral. written or printed. exprss or implied. to perform labor in this country of any kind. skilled or nskilled. persons who have come in consequence of advertisements for laborers printed. published. or distributed in a foreign country. persons who have been deported under any of the provisions of this act and who may agaia seek admission within one year from the date of such deporation. unless prior to their reembarkation at a foreign port the Secretary of Lab foshall have consented to their reapplying for admission persons whose ticket or passage is paid for with the money of another. or who Is assisted by others to come. unless it is affirmatively and satisfactorily shown that such person does not belong to one of the foregoing excluded classes. parsons whose ticket or passage is paid for by any corporation. association. society. municipality. or foreign Government. either directly or indirectly. stowavays. except that any such stowaway may be admitted in the discretion of the Secretary of Labor . all children under 16 years of age. unaccompanied by one or both of their parents. at the discretion of the Secretary of Labor or under such regulations as he may from time to time prescribe. persons who can not become eligible. under existing law. to become citizeas of the United States by naturalization. unless otherwise provided for by existing agreements as to passports. or by treaties. conventions. or agreements that may hereafter be entered into. The provision next foregoing. however. shall not apply to persons of the foil owing status or o cupations: Government officers. ministers or religious teachers. missionaries. lawyers. physicians. chemists. civil engineers. teachers. students. authors. merchants. and travelers for curiosity or pleasure. nor to their legal wives or the.~ children under 16 years of age who shall accompany them or who subsequently may apply for admission to the United States. but such persons or their legal wiy55 or foreignborn children who fail to maintain In the United States a status or occupation p lacing them within the excepted classes shall be deemed to be In the United States contrary to law. and shall he subject to deportation as provided in section 19 of this act. That after four months from the approval of this act. in addition to the aliens who are by law now excluded from admission Into the United States. the following persons shall also be excluded from admission thereto. to wit All aliens over 10 years of age. physically capable of reading. who can nlot read the English language. or some other language or dialect. including Hebrew or Yiddish: Provided. That any admissible alien or any alien heretofore or hereafter legally admitted. or any citizen of the United States. may bring in or send for his father or grandfather over 55 years of age. his wife. his mother. his grandmother. or his unmarried or widowed daughter. if otherwise admissible. whether such relative can read .or not. aad such relative shall be permitted to enter. That for the purpose of ascertaining whether aliens can read the Immigrant inspectors shall be furnished with slips. of uniform size. prepared under the direction of the Secretary of Labor. each containing not less than 30 nor more than 40 wvords in ordinary use. printed in plainly legible type In the various languages and dialects of immigrants. Eaclh alien may designate the particular language or dialect In which he desires the examination to bo made. and shall be required to read the words printed on the slIp in such language or dhiaect. No two aliens coming In the same vessel or other vehicle of carriage or transportition shall be tested with the same slip. That the following classes of persons shall be exampt from the operation of the illiteracy test. to wit: All aliens who shall prove to the satisfaction of the proper immigration officer or to the Secretary of Latbor that they are seeking admission to the United States solely for the purpose of escaping from religious persecution. all aliens In transit through the United States . all aliens who have been lawfully admitted to the United States and who later shall go in transit from one p art of the United States to another through foreign contiguous territory : Provided. That nothing in this act shall exclude. if otherwise admissible. persons convicted of an offense purely .political. not involving moral turpitude: Provided further. That the provisions of this act relating to the payments for tickets or passage by any corporation. association. society. municipality. or foreign Government shall not apply to the tickets or passage of aliens In iomediate and continuous transit through the United States to foreign contIguous territory : Provided furtfher.