The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-03-17


The senate had an hour OF spirited de-
bate late to-day. after the early portion
OF the day had been given to set
speeches by Mr.. Lodge on immigration
and Mr.. Pughso on silver. The Cuban
discussion was, mnlnly important in
bringing out the full reading OF q state
ment OF the Spanish side OF the case by
Senior Depuy de Lone. the Spanish
minister This Ind been referred to
some days ago, but could not be made
public. To-day. however. Mr.. Morgan
read letter from Secretary Olney.
saying the Spanish minister gave his
permission for the publicity or the
statement.
II claimed to detail the insurGent
methods OF guerrilla warfare, the burn
ing OF cane fields and the dlsorgnnlzed
character OF the insuTgent bands. The
senator had several sharp controversies
with MIR. Hale over various phases OF
the Cuban question.
Crowded senate galleries have be-
come the rule since the Cuban debate
began, and there was the usual full at
tendance to-day.
Mr.. EIkins (Rep.. West vtrginta)
made early reference to the Cuban
question by Offering resolution. direct
ing the committee on foreign relations.
before the vote was taken on the Cuban
resolutions. TO make n report to the
senate OF nll material facts on the sub
ject; stating specifically whether n
state OF war now existed In Cuba, how
long It has been in existence; what
rights the pending resolution would
confer on the insurgents, and to what
-
with Spain.
Mr.. sherman asked that the resolu-
ton go over under the rules until to-
morrow, and Mr.. Elkins assented.
Mr.. Call (Dem., Fla.) secured the
adoption OF a resolution calling on the
secretary OF the treasury for intorma-
tion as TO the detention of vessels sup
posed to be carrying arms TO Cuba and
the legal authority for such course.
At o'clock Mr.. Lodge Rep., Mass }
was recognized for speech on immi-
grafton and In support OF the resolution
for additional immigration laws.
Mr.. Lodges Speech.
Senator Lodge showed, by existing
law paupers, diseased persons, convicts
and contract laborers are now denied
admission to the United States. By the
bill under consideration, It was propo-
acd to make new class OF excluded I'm
migrants, viz, the totally ignorant
Two questions arise In connection with
the bill; first as to the merits OF this
particular form OF restriction, and sec
ondly as to the general policy OF re-
strictIng immigration at all. 1t was
found as result OF investigation that
the illIteracy test would bear most
heavily upon the Italians, Russians.
~ 4. a .
les, and very lightly, or not at all, upon
English-speakIng emlgrants, or Ger
mans, Scandanavinns and French.
"The races which would suffer most
seriously by exclusion under the pro-
posed BILL" he said. furnish the I'M
migrants who do not go to the west or
south, where immigration is needed. but
who remain on the Atlantic seabOard.
where immigration Is not needed and
where their presence Is most Injurious
and undesirable.
''The immigrants excluded by the nut
eracy test are those who remain for
the most part In conGested masses In
our great cities. They furnish large
proportion OF the population OF the
sittrns.
The question of the advlsabillty OF
restricting immigration was subject
| the senator thought Of the greatest
magnitude and the most far-reachinS
| Importance.
There is no danger at present at all
| events, to our worklnRmcn from the
coming OF skilled mechanics or Of train
| ed and educated men with settled
occupation or pursuit. for immigrants
| of this class will never seek TO lower
the American standard OF life and
wages. on the contrary, they desire
the same standard for themselves.
The Real Danger.
But there Is an appalling danger to
| the American wlEe-earner from the
flood OF low, unsklllcd. ignorant, for
elgn labor which has poured into the
country for some years past, and which
not only takes lower wages, but ac-
ccpts n standard OF life and living so
low that the American workinSmRn
cannot compete with Il. The Injury OF
unrestricted immigration 70 American
wages and American standards OF Nv
ing Is sufficiently plain and bad enough,
but the danger which this immiEra-
tlon threatens TO the quality OF our cit
izenship Is far worse.
More precious even than forms OF
government are the mental and moral
| qualities which make what we call our
race. While these stand unlmpalrcd,
| all Is snte When those decline nil Is
| imperllcd. They are exposed to but q
! single danger. md that Is by changing
the quality Of our race and citizenship
through the wholesale infusion OF races
whose traditions and inherit0ncoS.
whose thoughts and whnHe beliefs ARE
wholly allen to ours. and with whom
we have never asEimilnted or even
been associated In the past. The dam
ger has begun. 1t N small as yet. com
paratlvcly speaking, but II Ia large
enough to warn us to act while there Is
vet time, and while II can be done cas-
| iIy and efficiently. There lies the peril
nj the portals Of utfr land; there "
pressing In the tide OF unrestricted i'm
migration. The time has certainly
come II not TO stop. nj least TO check
to sift, and to restrict those immi-
Mr. Lodge spoke for an hour, and was
followed by MIR. PuEh dem, Ala) IN
support OF the amendment to the tarlff
hill Mr. Pugh argued that the eco
nomlc troubles Of the United states
were caused by nm insufficient ana con-
geslCd currency.
At $40 Mr.. Pugh yielded the floor to
continue his financial speech to-mor-
row.
Tho Cuban RESOLUTION,
Mr., Sherman nt once called up the
Cuban resolutions. and Mr. Morgan, Of
Alabnmn, addressed the scnntc on II.
Thc senator said the American people
had Expressed their Views on Cuban
belIgcrcncy and independence by n
great dclugc OF petitions and memo
I rialg.
Mr.. Morgan read from many pctl-
! tlons, HhOwlng the Wide public feeling
In behalf of cuba. These came from
city councils. q. 4. Il. posts, a. i. a.
| bodIep. ministerial unions. nornnl
schools. boards ot trade. citizens meet
lngp. labor and trade assemblies typo
graphical unions, rcdcrntions Of labor,