MI. Chairman. in answer to the arguments advanced by the gentleman from Massachusetts and the gentleman from Alabama and the gentlenman from Tennessee in favor of the literacy test. I desire. first. to call the attention of the Members to the views of President Clevelami. as expressed by him in a message vetoing a measure similar to the one we now have under consideration. President Cleveland 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 proper apprehension of the benefits of our institutions. And we find that only last year. when President Taft vetoed practically the same bill that we now have before us. hi veto message read in part as follows: I can not make up my mind to sign a bill which in its chief provision violates a principle that ought. in my opinion. to be upheld In dealing with our immigration. Then. too. let us carefully consider the views of the greatest President this country has ever known. Woodrow Wilson. as set forth in a letter to a prominent Philadelphian. in which he says: I think that this country can afford to use and ought to give opportunity to every man and woman of sound morals. sound mind. and sound body. who comes in good faith to spend his or her energies In our life. and I should certainly be inclined. so far as I am concerned. to scrutinize very jealously any restrictions that would limit that principle in practice. Again. in reply to an inquiry from a newspaper. we find him saying thatI. like other Democrats. have always held liberal views with regard to immigration. I feel tiat it would be inconsistent with our historical character as a Nation if we did not offer a very hearty welcome to every honest man and woman who comes to this country to seek a permanent home and a new opportunity. Quite recently a number of prominent educators throughout the country were asked their opinion as to the desirability of imposing a literacy test upon incoming aliens. and I quote below the views of a number of these gentlemen: [Harry Pratt Juclson. LL. D.. president University of Chicago. Chicago. Ill.] If we can establish a test which will exclude those who are really undesirablethat is. who are unlikely to make intelligent. industrious. and lawabiding citizenssuch test I shall approve. I do not believe that the literacy test conforms to that condition. [Bernard J. Otting. S.
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immigration literacy test