Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-29
AN Enrc.irfDNLh TEST

providing modified educational test
for immigrants was passed by the
house. The measure did not receive
consideration in the senate, but unan-
imous consent was obtained that IL
should bc taken mp on the first day of
tic coming session, so that If no new
order of business is adopted by unan-
imouS consent the 18th of December will
witness the opening of the immigration
question The advocates OF greater re-
strirtion upon immigration are mani
Testing n great deal OF interest in this
measure and are preparing to exert
their influence upon the senate for its
passage. The league in Boston which
wants moro barriers erected 10 keep out
foreign population is especially active
ana as senator Lodge Of Massachusetts
has charge of the educational test bin
it is TO be expected that hc will urge
action upon II, although lie is said 10
have confessed TO Il discovery during
the late campaign, regarding thc patriot
ism and good sruSc of our forcign-bom
citizens which may have somewhat
modified his views rs to the necessity
for moro restrictive legislation.
The bill in question provides that all
persons over il years of age who can
not read and write the language of
their native country or some other Ian
guage shall be excluded from admis
sion into the United states, except that
an aged person not so able to read and
to, rs
of IN admissible immigrant may aC
company or be sent for by such immi-
grant For the purpose Of testing the
ability Of the immigrant to read and
write, inspection officers are to he fur
niShed with copies of the constitution
Of the United States printed on slips
each slip containing five lines of the
constitution printed in the various Ian
guagcS of the immigrants. These slips
are to be placed in boxes from which
they shall be drawn by the immigrants
and read ana Transcribed in the pres
cnce Of the immigration officers. No
immigrant failing to read and write
out the slip thus drawn by him shall
he admitted, but he shall be returned
to the country from which he came at
the expense of the steamship or railroad
company which brought him, as now
provided 10y law.
When this bill was called uD in the
senate last May, Senator Gibson of
Louisiana made a very strong speech
in opposition to it, in the course of
which he said:
If our purpose springs from fcrvcnt de
sire to benefit the people by restricting i'm
migration. then we must look for some more
legitimate and practical means than this
measure now under consideration. This bill
will not accomplish it. OF all the proposed
legislation before the senate Of the United
States within my experience nothing is fur
ther removed from wisdom and justice than
this 1t is unlemocratic unrepublican, un-
american and has no health in It. II is
barbaric and cruel; in its operation it will
separate families and divide those among
them who may be able to read and write
from those who cannot. II is a standing
menace to the future of the west and south
1t will keep out from the country immi-
grants who are desired and will admit those
who are not. The uueducatcd laborer
whose strong muscles and willingness to
work we are in need Of, will be driven back
while the communist and socialist and loud
mouthed and Githy anarchists who labor
wtth their tongues demagogues ct id omne
genus, because they are able to read. will
be allowed to come in-evll fellows who
work not themselves, but who foment dis
cord and discomfort among worliingmen,
who, if left to themselves would be good
fbn oil
this bill would admit.
We believe the Intelligent and un-
preiudiccd sentiment of the country
will fully concur with this. The senate
republicans will subseryc the interests
of the party by refusing to permit any
tinhcring of the immigration laws at
the coming session. The course of the
foreign-bom voters at the late election
has shown them to be citizens whose
patriotism, integrity ana devotion to
the honor of the nation can b. de
pended upon. These citizens are be-
lieycd to be practically unanimous
against any further restrictions on i'm
migration and no demand of SelfishneSS
or prejudice should induce the rppub- |
lican party To disregard their views in
this respect The immigration question
is not Of urgent Importance, aS the ad-
vocateS of further restriction assert Ac- |
cording to the commissioner of immigra- !
tion there has been little addition to !
our foreign population in the last three
years and nearly all of those who have |
come are of the class that makes GOOD |
and useful citizens. There is room for
more such. They are wanted in the south |
and in the west. Existing legislation |
if properly enforced, isaample to keep |
out the undesirable classes of the old |
world and nothing is to be gained by |
additional restrictions.
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