Chairman. to suggest to the members of the. Imnigration Committee an idea as to how the restrictive measures might be extended even without the previous negotiation and ratification of treaties. It is in this way: While we do not control the gates on the other :side from which the immigrants come to this country. it is equally true that we do control the ports of entry on this side. and after a consideration of the matter on both sides of the pond. studying it on Ellis Island. hearing numbers of cases tried in the courts there.. and considering international law generally with reference to it. I believe this Congress could pass a statute which. in addition to the literacy test. inspection for disease. and so on. would make it necessary before an immigrant could be landed that his passport should be visded by an American officer and should be accompanied by a certificate and a questionnaire signed by the nearest- American consul in the country from which the immigrant comes to -the effect that this mans character and his purpose in coming to this country have undergone and passed investigation. It is not only necessary that.a man be able -to read and write. In fact. somenot all. but someof the best citizens this country has had from its foundation were men of very limited education. and some of them. perhaps. could not even read or write at all. But the character of a man and his purpose in coming here are more important than anything else.. and while the present law prohibits the making of contracts before admission. I believe that law could be amended so as to provide that if a farmer in this country could get in touch through the Immigration Bureau with men on the other side who were willing to come to this country to be farm laborers. in that way we could bring to this country a more desirable class of immigrants. not men who were wanting to sell bananas and peddle fruit and do the chores around our enormous cities and swell the urban population. but to become producers of the things that the men of this country and of the world must eat and wear.
Identified stereotypes
Generalization about immigrants who sell bananas and peddle fruit in cities being less desirable than farm laborers.