The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-12-07
Restrict immigration.

The immigration Restriction league
| which is working for the passage by
congress of the Lodge literary test. is
taking pains to rectify the impression
left by many newspapers since election
that the so-called foreign vote is what
saved the cause of sound money. II
does not dispute that the German
French, Welsh, Scotch and Scandina-
Wan vote was very generally cast for
Mckinley, nor does it deny that the
record Of these citizens by adoption
on the questions lately at issue COM
pares favorably with the record of the
native American class. 1t merely de-
sires to direct public thought to a prop
er discrimination between desirable
and undesirable classes Of immigra =
ton to the end that the latter may in
time be excluded.
The Lodge bill. 1t may be pertinent to
note, especially in view of the fact that
it has right of way in the senate this
week, aims to accomplish not the eX-
clusion of foreigners generally, but
oliiS VI thost VIII are dllht
of their own language. of an occupa-
tion and of the standards of living and
character which distinguish the Amer
lean people. Its provisions We're re-
Gently explained in The Tribune, but
lest that explanation may have been
overlooked, we repeat it herewith. The
bill excludes from entrance to the coun-
try all persons above IA years of ago
who cannot read or write one language
but excepts all aged persons not so
able to read or write who are parents
or grandparents of an admissible i'm
migrant, and allows them to accom-
pany or be sent for by the qualihed
immigrant. 1t proposes a test which
efficient in excluding fraud. 1t gives
the following directions to inspectors:
For the purpose of testing the ability
of the immigrant to read and write, the
inspection officers shall be furnished with
copies of the constitution of the United
States printed on numbered uniform paste
board slips, each containing five lines Of
said constitution in the various Ian
shall be kept in boxes made for the pur-
pose and SO constructed as to conceal
the slips from view, each box to contain
slips of but one language. and the immi-
grant may designat, the language in
which he prefers the test shall be made
Each immigrant shall be required to draw
one of said slips fcc:.l tEa box. and read,
and afterward write out in full view of
the immigration officers, the five lines
MI,
turned to the box Immediately after the
test is finished, and the contents of the
box shall be shaken up by an inspection
officer before another drawing is made
No immigrant failing to read or write out
the slip thus drawn by him shall be ad-
mitted. and he shall be returned to the
country from which he came at the ey
pense of the steamship or railroad COM
pany which brought him. The INSPECTION
officers shall keep in each box at all times
a full number of the printed pasteboari
slips. and in the case of each excluded
immigrant shall keep a certified memoran-
dum or the number of slips which the i'm
migrant failed to read or copy out in
writing.
1t is clear that such a measure would
operate advantageously in the case of
all immigrants whose admission TO this
country would add to the country's se-
curity. Indeed. If any fault is to he
found with 1t it is that it proposes too
simple test. American citizenship
ought to be valued sufficiently high by
American legislation to make IT an in
centive for careful preparation on the
part of those in other lands who would
enjoy its privileges. There is nothing
narrow or bigoted about such a promo
sition. 1t is the obvious common sense
of the matter. The necessity for a lit
erary test is indicated by the fact that
whereas, i'm 1880. nearly nine-tenths of
our immigrants were able to read and
write at least one language. today a
third are illiterate. and the tide of un-
desirable immigration. instead OF re-
ceding. is steadily growing.
No other fraternal ceremonial of
which we know represents a more fit
ting form of tribute to the dead than
the Elks' annual Lodge OF Sorrow. The
gathering. once each year. of the mem-
bers of this influential and growing or