Speech #700093065

For 50 years the question of immigration has claimed the attention of Congress. In 1879 President Hayes vetoed the first Chinese expulsion act. In 1882 President Arthur vetoed an act which had for its purpose the suspending of Chinese immigration for a period of 20 years. In 1887 President Cleveland vetoed an act excluding illiterates. A similar act was vetoed by President Taft in 1913. In 1917 President Wilson vetoed an act excluding illiterates. however. the act was passed over his veto by Congress and became a law. Thus. you can see that the executive department of this Government has in many instances favored immigration while. on the other hand. Congress has continually fought for the strengthening of our immigration laws. I am reliably informed that the State Department is opposed to applying the quota to Mexico and Canada at this time. One of the outstanding advocates of immigration legislation was the late Representative John L. Burnett. who represented for 21 years the district that I now have the honor to representseventh district of Alabama. When the Democrats came in power in 1912 he was the ranking member on the Democratic side on the Immigration Committee. His services were of untold value to this Nation. In 1916 we had trouble with foreigners (mostly Mexicans) on the Mexican border. During the World War we were brought face to face in many of our northern cities with anarchy and rebellion. which condition was fostered by aliens and foreigners who were not loyal to our Government. It was on account of so many of these violent uprisings and outbursts against our Nation that it was thought advisable to prevent a further influx of foreigners into this country. With prosperity running at high tide. with the business of this great Nation but little disturbed by the war. as in contrast with the desolation. want. and poverty that existed in Europe. it became manifest that unless greater restrictions were placed upon immigration that there would be an army of immigranfs sweep over this land. the like of which had never been equaled in our history. To stop this tide of immigration Congress. in 1921. enacted a new immigration law embracing the principal of quotas. To further stop the tide of immigrants that were coming into this country Congress again in 1924 amended the 1921 act by placing a 2 per cent quota of entry on immigrants. based upon the nmunber of people in the United States in 1890 from various countries. however the quota law was not applied to Mexico. Canada. and adjacent islands. The natives from these countries can come across the borders by simply paying a small amount. which is known as a head tax. The tide of immigration from Mexico hats become so alarming that we of the South felt hipelled to bring to Congress a measure to include Mexico. Canada. and adjacent countries in the quota laws. I have introduced such a measure. as have several Congressmen from other States. I especially refer to the bill introduced by Representative Box. of Texas. who is the ranking Democratic member on the Immigration Committee. There was a time in the history of our country when we needed immigrants. but that time has passed and gone. and to my way of thinking is gone forever. Today we have a hundred and twenty millions of people. We have peoples from every race. clime. and nationality in the known world.