The record-union., 1896-07-13

new fields for labor and investment by
the development of resources now un-
touched under a system that seals fur
naces, locks wheels and leaves unde-
veloped wealth that investment for Ia
Dor alone win open up.
IMMIGRAIION RESTRICTION IEGIS-
LATION.
It appears that the immigration re-
striction bill did not become law after
all, though it missed 1t by a very narrow
margin. AS the matter Is one that should
be very early before Congress in Decem-
ber, and as expression by the people in
the present campaign will serve to fur
ther it's passage. the history Of the leg
islation on this subject should be un-
derstood, and to that end the Immigra-
ton Restriction League has had 1t sent
to the press in compact form.
1t appears that the original. or league
measure. was introduced In the House
last December. 1t simply provides that
All persons between the age Of IA and
60 who cannot read and write in some
language should be excluded" from
coming into the country to settle. It
| will be observed that 1t Is of a wholly
| different character from the bill by Con-
gresham Grove l.. Johnson Of this dis
trict, which provides for the exclusion
of all foreign laborers, and hence both
bills might pass without there being
any conflict between them.
The league bill was also introduced in
the Senate at the same time that 1t ap-
peared In the House. Last February
the Senate Committee reported q sub
stitute bill for all the measures before
1t. which retained the league exclusion
clause. but added an exception. namely,
that 1t should not apply to the parent
or grandparent Of an admissible immi-
grant. It also provided as test Of the
educational capacity Of the challenged
immigrant ability must be established
to read five lines Of the Constitution Of
the United States in English or some
other language, and to write out the
same ave lines.
In April the House Committee re-
ure. It provided that the exclusion run
to those between 16 an66O years Of age.
provided that no parent Of one now liv-
ing In the country should be excluded
under the law.
In May the House passed the substi-
tute reported by it's committee by 1875
to 26, vote clearly proving that poll
tics did not enter into the matter and
that the temper of the House Is such as
to insure bills of this character safety
in that body. This bill was sent to the
Senate, committee Of which thereupon
substituted the original Senate bill for it
that which was an amendment Of the
league bill, and which excepted the pa
rent and grandparent Of an admissible
immigrant and added the five line read
ing and writing test, and added also the
amendment Of the House Committee d.
rected against Canadians who work In
the United States while retaining resi-
dence in Canada.
The measure came up In the Senate
| for action the first week in June, but
Congress adjourned before a vote could
| be reached, and the bill was left upon
the Senate calendar among unfinished
business and will come up in the short
session of 1S96-97. The thing to do
now is to press this matter upon the at
tentioA of Congress SO persistently dur
ing the vacation that on reassembling
the Senate will not neglect to take up
the broken thread Of legislation and
carry the measure reported to 1t into the
form Of law so far as the houses can
make 1t such.
| But In saying this the Record Union"
must not be understood as walving its
objections frequently repeated to the
bill as an entirely satisfactory one.
An educational qualification SO far as II
goes is well enough, but 1t does not
touch the seat Of the ulcer that is eat
ing the life out Of American industry
and relegating American youth to the
grand army of incompetents, because
they are denied opportunity to enter
artisanship, though foreign hordes OF
cheap workers while the smell Of sal,
water is fresh upon their misflt gar
ments. secure places that ought to be
| k,xyA A e.
The educational qualification ought
we have said, to become law, but only
because we look upon II as an entering
wedge that may serve to open intelli-
gencs to Q broader conception Of the
need for restriction that will protect
American workmen from the unwhole-
some competition Of the Huns and the
half-civilixed beings who dook into the
Central States. set up autocracies. defy
the Government, tear the stars and
stripes from schoolhouses. and live In q
state that American civilization and the
demands Of the obligations Of American
citizenship will not tolerate in Ameri-
cans.
These undercutters, and the ignorant
selfish and nom n-assimilative hordes; the
anarchists of the beer cellar and the
malcontent foreigner whose office is te
preach and stir up an intolerable dis
content, without reason or cause; tt
preach enmity to the American system
and that all manner Of restraint unde,