During the plist 25 years this alarm has quickened. and if America had lind its will it would have protected itself. Our Presidents have not usually been in sympathy with the views of tile people on this subject. and have repeatedly used the veto power to prevent them from giving expression to what they have repeatedly tried to say for themselves and their posterity. In 1879 President Hays vetoed the first Chinese exclusion act. (2 I. C. R.. 580.) In 1882 President Arthur vetoed an act suspending Chinese immigration for a period of 20 years. (2 I. C. R1.. 581.) On March 3. 1897. President Cleveland vetoed an immigration act excluding illiterates. (2 I. C. R.. 573.) President Taft vetoed an immigration bill in 1913 containing a restriction against the admission of illiterates. (P. 101. RECORD. special session. 59th Cong.) In 1917 Plresident Wilson vetoed an act excluding illiterates. but Congress passed it over his veto. The difficulty of getting restrictive measures enacted is only a part of the trouble. It has been hard to get our immigration and naturalization laws enforced. Separate States fist encountered the opposition in their efforts to protect themselves. After many years of struggle with Europeanowned sllipping interests the States were defeated in the courts and gave up the struggle.
Keywords matched
naturalization immigration Chinese exclusion