Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-07

! bill on the calendar as reported to the
| Senate by Mr.. Lodge, it is a materi-
ally different measure all the House
! provisions having been stricken gu,
except the enacting clause, and a new
bill substituted. This bill will be
called up. Tuesday, by Senators Lodge
ard Chandler. who desire to push it to
vote as quickly as possible.
| AS the bill came from the House il
provided not only for the exclusion OF
! immigrants who could not fill the edu-
cational test, but went at some length
| into the regulation of alien contract
labor. Mr.. Lodges substitute provides
for an educational test and excludes
all persons over IA years, who cannot
read and write the language of their
native country. or some other
language, except that an aged person
not so able. who is the parent or
grandparent of an admissible immi-
grant. may accompany or be sent by
such immigrant.
For the purpose of establishing the
ability Of an immigrant to read and
write, the citation of five lines from
the constitution of the United States
is to be used. printed in various lam
guages of the immigrants in good
sized readable type. known as double
small plea. The constitution, thus cut
into five line slips, form a lottery from
which the immigrant. having desig-
mated the language in which he prefers
the test to be made. draws at random.
reads and writes down what he has
read. Failure to comply with this test
means deportation to the country
whence the immigrant came. at the
expense of the steamship company
carrying him.
An effort will be made to secure new
dates for the consideration of special
orders that were not reached during
the last session. These measures now
coming under this preferred head are:
Senate bill 1912. to prevent the desc
Grafton of the national flag: House bill
3206. to amend the act to prevent the
determination of the fur bearing ami
mails of Alaska: House bill S7S, to re-
duce cases in which the penalty of
death may be inflicted: the Senate
joint resolution proposing an amend
ment TO the constitution providing for
the election of senators by popular
vote.
An important local bill on which
there has developed bitter fight is
the Detroit bridge bill or bridge
across the Detroit river. 1t was post
pOned at the last session until the first
Monday in December.
In addition to the appropriation bills |
there are several measures that will |
contend with each other for the right |
OF way. Prominent among these are
the bill to refund the Pacific Railroad |
debt; to admit the territories of New |
Mexico and Arizona; authorizing the |
secretary of the navy to enlist addi- |
tional men, now pending in the Sen
ate ON motion to reconsider the vote |
by which it was passed: Mr.. Davis
relative to the assertion |
and enforcement of the Monroe doc
trine; the bill to facilitate the con-
of cable between this coun-
tryAand the republic of Hawaii; pro-
vidiHg for the uniform classification
and grading of agricultural products,
and one providing for the reorganiza-
ticn of the consular and diplomatic
service.
In the House of Representatives
there will be the swearing in of the
new members to first engage the at I,
Lention Of Speaker Reed and the House
Continued on page %