Quite right. We have a right to base our quota law on any census from 1790 to 1920. because aliens expecting to come to America have no vested right to come here. Our selection of the census of 1890 as a temporary basis for the apportionment of our quotas was entirely within our rights and was the best rough approximation of the desired basis which was available at the time the law was written. With the nationalorigins provisions out of consideration. I would still favor the census of 1890 as our immigration quota basis. but a census taken 37 years ago is much more arbitrary than an appraisement of the present elements of our population. We have a right to maintain either of them. but the census of 1890 is more arbitrary. less logical. less scientific. less easily justified to intelligent inquiring minds not biased by prejudice in favor of thenationals of some foreign country. much less easily to be maintained as a permanent quota basis. and less exactly American in character than the basis provided In the nationalorigins provisions of the act of 1924. The nationalorigins basis is in all the respects mentioned preferable to any census taken 5. 15. 25. or 35 years ago. As the act of 1924 was completed by Congress and approved by the President. the census of 1890 as a quota basis was temporary. to operate only until the more logical. sound. just. and permanent basis could be ascertained in the manner therein stated. Any friend of immigration restriction who understands the problem has cause for regret in the effort to abandon the better for the worse basis. The enemies of restriction have cause for gratification in this abandonment. If they can frighten or intimidate restrictionists into abandoning a stronger position. they may with confidence. hope to drive them from the weaker one.
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immigration quota law