Speech #630134784

Why. it is among the oldest inhabitants of the country. down there in the mountain districts of the South. There are famitalies down there over 150 years old. who can trace their ancestors back that far. the most illiterate white people in the United States today. This bill does not attempt to deal with the naturalization laws in a single particular. it merely prescribes additional conditions upon those who. without any choice of their own in the matter. were born elsewhere and who may wish to improve their condition by acquiring a home somewhere within the territory of the United States. By reason of the peculiar character of our free institutions it has become the settled policy of the United States to exclude by law from admission to our territory persons afflicted with a contagious or infections disease. idiots. imbeciles. insane. and feebleminded. persons likely to become a public charge. persons who have been convicted of crime involving moral turpitude. those who advocate the commission of crime against persons and property or organized society. and those who come here pursuant to contract with or by virtue of pecuniary inducements offered by others. and those who by reason of inherent racial causes are incapable of amalgamation with the white .race without injury to both. and who for this reason are rendered ineligible to naturalization under the laws of the United States. Although we are the only Nation on earth. I believe. which has enacted this legislation. it has become our settled policy. and there is no substantial sentiment in this country favoring a material change by repealing any of the existing laws restricting immigration. But this literacy test is a new departure from our past and existing policy. it prohibits from landing on our shores and authorizs the forcible deportation by the strong arm of the law of persons who may be sound and healthy in body. mind. and morals. who may be honest and industrious. but who. by reason of the lack of opportunity in the country in which they were born and reared. are unable to read correctly a 40word thesis. There is an exception in the bill which can not be justified on any theory of the advocates of the literacy test. Its proponents contend that they are not influenced in my degree by class prejudice or the accident of place of birth. but solely by a desire to protect the people already here from the results of coming in contact with persons who are excluded. and yet it is proposed to exempt from this literacy test those who come here solely as a result of religious persecution. although they may be unable to read a single word in any language. If this test is proposed exclusively for the benefit of those already here. and is necessary for their defense and protection. why open the door to those who are beyond our jurisdiction and entitled. under the theory of those who have formulated this test. to no consideration at the hands of Congress in framing this legislation? This very exception exposes the inherent weakness in the logic of those who advocate a literacy test. The only real original Americans are the Indians. and our American civilization is rapidly ruining them. but among the people of this country. since the repeal of the laws of primogeniture and entail by and through Jefferson. it has become a common saying. almost a maxim. that " there are but three generations between shirt sleeves and shirt sleeves." and this rule applies equally to all persons. regardless of their place of birth. It might well be argued that. if this "literacy test" is made a condition precedent to the right of coming to this country. it ought to be applied to those already here. who have for years had free access to our public schools. and yet. if the people of the mountain districts of the South were subjected to this test. it would almost depopulate that section of the country. Twentytwo and onehalf per cent of the population of the tenth district of Kentucky. .0 years old and over. are unable to read or write. Permit me to call your attention to some of the census returns of 1910 from four congressional districts In the United States: The tenth Kentucky. represented by Mr.