Speech #680073871

Why? The answer is a complete refutation of their own argument. The " discrimination " lies in the fact that. as they themselves admit. the bulk of their immigration came after 1890. whereas the great bulk of imlmigration from northern and western Europe came before that year. We would not want any imlmigrants at all unless we could hope that they would become assimilated to our language. customus. and ini5 tutions. unless they could blend thoroughly into our body politic. This would le admitted. I suppose. by the most radical opponent of immigration restriction. In fact. it is one of the stock arguments of these gentlemen that. although the immigrant himself may be assimilated slowly. his children. born here. iIecome Americans in thought. action. speech. and character. That statement. often splendidly true. must nevertheless be accepted with many qualifications. but at leaist it is clear enough that the second generation will be assinlilated (qiicker than the firstwhatever may be the effect in many cases oIf such assimilation upon the United States. It would seeill still clearer that the third and subsequent generations will he still more American than their predecessors.