Speech #690098504

Soon after he entered Congress he won the admiration and confidence of his colleagues. He was a splendid Representative. a student. and a ready and forceful speaker. I often sat with him during the sessions of the House. and very frequently when I had inquiries regarding matters affecting the immigration laws of our country or matters pending in Congress and before his Committee on Immigration. I would consult him to get his views. and always found him ready and willing to give what I afterwards learned to be the proper advice. He and the gentleman from Washington and the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Box] were my principal guides on matters of immigration. He was an untiring worker for his constituents. considered by all who knew him to be one of the real energetic and consclentious representatives of the people. His place on the Immigration Committee of the House will be hard to fill . not only did he represent the people of his congressionl distict on this committee. but he represented a vast majority of all the citizens of the United States. I know he was held in the highest esteem by the people of the district which I have the honor to represent for his faithful work In behalf of the immigration laws which were passed during his service in the House. and I doubt if he was ever in my district or had ever had the pleasure of meeting any of my constituents except those whom it was my honor to introduce to him. - If the personnel of the Immigration Committee of the House and Senate were always made up of the caliber of Judge RAKER. the Members of Congress would be relieved of answering many letters of inquiry from their constituents who favor restricted Immigration legislation. our citizenship would be constantly improved. and our institutions be safely guarded. Judge RAKER also held prominent assignments on the Committee of Irrigation and Reclamation and on the Committee on the Public Lands. When his labors here ended and for many years before. he was the ranking man on the Public Lands Committee.