Speech #640066230

The American laborer is entitled to I)e protected against that. He asks Congress toadopt and pass this bill as a means of affording to him this protection. Mtiny sclleiles aind relledies have been devised by others antd offered to the working classes as "a protection against the pauiper labor of other countries. for instance. a protective tariff high enougli to) lrevelt the importation of articles manfactmred imni produced by that pauper labor. so as to avoid. it is cliained. colailpetitim 1letween the ana receiving the high wage here and the one receiving the low wage there. This las leen adopted lnd tried for the lalboring man. but to him it has been a disappointment and adelusion and a snare. So why not give hil the reniedy lie has asked for. something le has recoimended for himself? The saitie causes and Inotives which have pompted the wage earneis I the country to urge the adoption of restrictive measures in relat on to immigratioln have actuated the farmers of the country in their desire and efforts to secure the same legislation. Since this matter lias been hefole Congress tih National Farmers Union. the Fariners Educational and Cooperative Union of Anierica. tie National Grange. and the Farmers National Congre.s have reipeatedly in numerous conventions held in various cities of the United States passed resolutions indorsing restricted illigration and the literacy test as the most practical melals of securing tile proper limit ations upon the flow of inligration to this country.. Time position of all these organizations upon this miatter is summed up in the following statement issued by the National Garange at Wilmington. Del.. November. 1914: Aincug the thinking people of Anmerica there is an unusually strong feeling that lie time has conic when our immigration laws should be further annlded so as to pe .nt the ignorant. dishonest. vicious. and physically defective froim entering our coiintry. While recognizing that Ignorance Is not a badge of dishonesty and crime. we are satisfied that the higher the average education ot our people the better it is for our happinoss. prosperity. :lill slahilily. When the war now rigling on the Conlinent is over E!lrope will unquestionably dhunip untold numinhers of undesir bles on our shores.