Bledsoe. deserves to be quoted at length for the light it sheds on the attitudes which then prevailed. Quoting from article V of the 1890 platform of one of the major political parties. Bledsoe declared the purpose of his proposed constitutional amendment: We look with alarm upon the increased immigration of the illiterate and unassimilated elements of Europe. and believe that every agency should be invoked to preserve our public lands from alien grasp. to shield American labor from this destructive competition. and to protect the purity of the ballotbox from the corrupting influences of the disturbing elements... from abroad. If we do not take some steps to prevent the ignorant classes. who are coming here from Europe. unloading the refuse of the world upon our shores. from exercising the right of suffrage .... it will soon come to pass that this element will direct in our politics and our institutions will be overthrown. We can look back on that period of our history with remorse and a terrible sense of loss.
Identified stereotypes
Immigrants from Europe are an illiterate and unassimilated element that corrupts the ballot box.