The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1896-05-20
IN THE HOUSE
Debate on the immigration Bflis-Contests
Decided

IN THE HOUSE
Debate on the Immigration Bfls-Contests
Decided
WASHINGTON, May 19.-The house
today entered upon two days debate
of the immigration bills reported from
the immigration committee. MI VIII
liam Stone of Pennsylvania and MT.
Tacewell of Indiana argued for re-
strictiye measure; Mr.. Coriss of Mich
igan for his bill, designed to put an end
to Canadian competition with Amerl-
can labor; Mr.. Morse of Massachusetts
and Mr.. Bartholdt of Missouri, for the
educational test bill. The feature Oh
the debate today was the plea of Mr..
Buck of Louisiana against any sort of
restrictive legislation beyond that now
on the statute books, which excluded
paupers and criminals.
Before the debate began a resolution
was adopted instructing the sergeant at
arms to summon the clerks of the coun-
ties in the Sixteenth district of Illinois
for the purpose of recounting the bal
lots in the Misunderstanding contest.
The title of Mr. Owens of Kentucky to
his seat was confirmed and Messrs.
Steele of Indiana, Cousins of Iowa and
McClelland of New York. were appoint
ed on the board of visitors to West
Point.
At 1890 p. m. the debate on the immi-
grafton bills was opened by Bartholdt
of Missouri. chairman of the immigra-
ton committee. The bills were four in
number One, known variously as the
Bartholdt, Mccall or Lodge bill, pro-
vides an educational test. 1t excludes
all male persons between 16 and 60 years
of age who could not read and write
English or some other language.
Another, the Stone bill, provided for
the inspection of immigrants by our
~. IL. - To-.
that the immigrants do not belong to
any of the classes of immigrants eXclu-
ded by existing contract labor or other
immigration laws. This bill was Of
fered as an amendment to the Barth-
oldt-McCall bill.
The Corliss bill, offered as substi-
tute. applied wholly to the Canadian
border and made it unlawful for any
alien to enter the United States Except
to teach new arts or industries) and en-
gage in any mechanical trade or man
ual labor. The provisions of the bill do
not apply to sailors on the Great Lakes.
The Mahaney bill, also offered as a
substitute. makes all contracts by aliens
to perform labor in the United States
Illegal 1t also makes it misdemeanor
FOR any person to perform labor i'll the
United States who has become a citi-
zen of the United States and returned
to foreign country to make that his
home.
Mahaney's substitute was ruled out
on a point of order
Mr.. Johnson, Republican of Califor-
mia. then offered a sweeping motion to
absolutely exclude all foreign born"
laborers, skilled or unskilled, and to
make captains and masters of vessels
responsible for the character of their
passengers. This was also ruled out
Bartholdt said that there was no
question so much talked about and SO
little understood as the problem of i'm
migration. There was, he thought
too much passion and prejudice in the
demand from certain quarters in favor
OF the exclusion of Foreigners Good i'm.
migration, he urged was desirable. His
Dill was moderate measure for the
exclusion of the illfterates. An educa-
tional test, he pointed out would not
materially affect immigration from
Germany and other countries of North
ern Europe. lie warned his Republican
associates that as the advocates of the
educational test for immigration thev
could go to the country but consular
inspection that would cut off all immi--
grafton save of the most undesirable
sort, from Germany and Scandinavia,
could never be successfully defended
Mr.. Tracewell Republican of Indi-
anal who followed Mr.. Bartholdt, pre-
faced his remarks by stating that he
was not an A. p. a. and declared himself
IN favor OF all the billS reported by the
immigration committee. They We're not
inconsistent, he argued, and could all be
passed with benefit to the country
Mr. w. a. Stone Nepublican of Penn
sylvania), the author of the bill, ex-
planned it's provisions and advocated
its passage. The country, he argued
had long suffered from unreasonable
immigration. The immigration for the
last years had exceeded the natural in
crease
Bartholdt challenged this statement
contending that the natural increase
was 1000, 900 year. while the immigra
ton had averaged only about 250, 900 q
year. Stone said that during the haxd
times of the past six years immigration
had fallen off, but with the prospect OF
returning prosperity and high wages
1t would increase to startling proper
tons.
Mr.. Corlss submitted an argument
in favor of his bill for the exclusion OF
foreigners who crossed our frontiers
each year to compete with American
labor. He read the testimony of in
spection agents and others along the
Canadian border as to the evil effects
of the annual influx of the Canadian
birds of passage"
Mr.. Morse, Republican of Massacbu-
sets, favored the Mccall bill He said
that there was a strong demand in the
country for radical legislation to re.
strict immigration and that congress
could not afford to disregard it.
Mr.. Buck, Democrat of Louisiana. 2
naturalized German, opposed restric.
ton of immigration in eloquent Ian.
guage. An educational test was, he In.