Sweden. Denmark. and northern Italy. a new labor admixture. made up of 17 nationalities from south and southeastern Europe. who are not only too spiritless to learn the English language but are too spiritless to assert their own rights. Is it agriculture that desires the illiterate immigrant? I asked Judge BUNETT the other day. and though I am not positive. I think he will bear me out in the statement that 17 States of the Union have memorialized Congress to grant this test. Your committee of immigrant investigation put the question to the governors of the various agricultural States. and the answer ia each instance was for intelligent farmers and farm hands. capable of mastering scientific agriculture. but for tre illiterate of south and southeastern Europe there was no demand. During the last 15 years 75 per cent of our immigration came from Asia. Mexico. south and southeastern Europe. of which 43 per cent is illiterate. Over 95 per cent of these illiterates are without a trade. They are below the average human unit physically and mentally. Bowed by the weight of centuries. weakened by want and misery. they huddle together in the slums of our great cities. where they become an easy prey to corruption. In 1.914 out of a total immigration of 1.200.000. 990.000 came from countries where from 30 to 90 per cent can not read. Our present immigration law without this test places a premium upon illiteracy and repels that class of citizens who desire to live and bring up their children under a Government that sets value upon enlightenment and gives progress the right of way. It also retards immigration coming from countries like Great Britain. Norway. Sweden.
Identified stereotypes
Generalizing about immigrants from south and southeastern Europe as spiritless, illiterate, below average physically and mentally, weakened by want and misery, and easily prey to corruption.