Speech #630424224

Now the steamship companies have their agents abroad. urging very class and condition to go to the United States. Pictures are displayed showing savings banks and foreigners standing around with their hands full of American money. and they are told that it is an easy matter to make money here. All kindsofstories are told to induce the coming of the immigrant horde. All that the steamship company wants to know is. can he pay his fare? They have excursions and- give cheap rates. and then the agents go out with their dragnets and gather them in. and tramp. tramp they comemore than a million a year. Mr. Speaker. the Boston Transcript speaks truly when it says that there are those in this country who are opposed to any and all restriction of immigration. Thomas Jefferson said more than a hundred years ago. "While -we are providing for the fortification of our country against a foreign foe. I am in favor of fortifying it against the influx of undesirable immigration." And yet. Mr. Speaker. there are gentlemen here who will not vote for a measure that will keep out of our country thousands and tens of thousands of undesirable persons. What strange and unnatural influence is It that impels gentlemen here to oppose any measure that will restrict immigration? Is it the fear of certain constituents at home who care more for the business of bringing in more people from foreign countries than they do for the welfare of our own country? Mr. Speaker. if this unAmerican influence is. strong enough now to prevent the enactment of a law to restrict immigration. what Senate or House a few years from now will even dare to undertake the difficult task? Yes. every 12 months the steamship companies unload upon our shores more than a million of foreigners. and Mr. Speaker. at this rate. the time wilt soon come when you can draw a line across the Republic and place the native born and their descendants on one side and the foreign born and their descendants on the other. and they will outnumber us. Then if we should be engaged in war with a foreign power. foes from without and foes from within. you will have reason to be concerned about the safety of your country. If these influences are strong enough to stifle the American desire that is in you to protect our country against this horde of undesirable foreigners. if these baneful influences shall cause you to take the side of foreign countries who want to continue to send to our country the refuse of their own. the day will come when your children whose birthright you have bartered for a mess of political pottage will curse you in your graves.