Mr. President. I desire to address the Senate for a short time on the pending bill looking to permanent restriction of immigration coming into the United States. Conditions change and necessarily the laws of our country must be changed in order to meet changing conditions. Up to the year 1880 we had no immigration policy in this country. and there was no need of one prior to that time. We had a great empire In the West which was unsettled and which needed the acquaintance of the plow and the advance of civilization. The immigration which was coming from Europe at that time came unassisted. it came to find homes. it paid its own way. There were homestead lands which were practically free to the settler who came to claim them. The result was that the restrictions on immigration then practically related merely to good character and to health. This condition in regard to our law remained until the act of 1913 was passed. adopting an educational test. Mr. President. I think in considering the problems which are involved in the pending bill we should go back to the purpose and object of restrictive legislation. We did not adopt the original immigration law for the purpose of restricting certain classes of immigration coming from Europe. but the main purpose in passing legislation of any kind on the subject was to protect certain American standards. The real issue involved is the standard of American life and American living. On account of the great opportunities that were presented to the people of America in developing this wonderful continent. with its great natural resources in mine. forest. and field. the standard of American living had risen far above the average of any other country in the world.
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immigration