Then. Mr. Chairman. if we have not enough farmers. let us urge the immigration of farmers to this country. We need good farmer immigrants. We ought to encourage immigration to the country and to the farm. That is the section that needs it most. In the early history of Missouri there was a large immigration of Germans to St. Louis and to other parts of the State. They have made splendid farmers. and I would be glad to see more of them come. The farm lands in Germany are poor as compared with the lands that we can reclaim in the Mississippi Valley. Some people are today decrying further immigration to this country. I join with them to the extent that all persons who are defective. physically and morally. should be excluded. I can not favor. however. exclusion of good. honest people that do not come in those classes simply on the ground that they can not read or write. Many of the best immigrants we have had to this country would have been excluded with such a law in force. What we want are men and women of muscle and good minds to help develop the great resources of this Nation. The recent announcement that it will not be many years before Germany can boast of a population of 80.000.000 should make us pause before cutting down our immigration figures. The last recorded estimate of the populaticn of Germany was 64.903.423. while our population was 91.972.267. according to the last census. Germany. however. supported its population on an area estimated at 208.830 square miles. while the United States has 3.010.494 square miles for its 92.000.000 people.
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immigrants immigration