The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-05-21
ILLrTERATEs SHOULD BE BARRED.

The discussion in the House Of differ
emit bills to restrict foreign immigration
has ELECTED quite diversity of views.
There seems to be pretty general con-
sensus OF opinion that there should be
some additional legislation on the SUBJ
ject. without any very clear apprehen-
sion as to what 1t should be. In the
opinion OF the Journal there ought not
to be any opposition to the bill which
provides an educational test. This bill,
without reference to pauperism, crime
or other causes. proposes to exclude all
male immigrants between sixteen and
sixty years of age who cannot read and
write English or some other language.
The presumption is that a male foreign
er who has not learned to read and write
his own language by the time he is six
teen years old Is a confirmed illiterate
and will never learn to read and write
English. We have enough illiterates al
ready, without importing more, and 1t
requires constant vigilance and effort to
keep the average from increasing. BY
the last census there were in the United
States 6,3z4,702 persons ten years Of age
and over who could not read or write.
OF this number 2.065.003 were native-b born
whites, 1,147.571 were foreign born whites
and 3.112128 were colored. 1t Is fair to
suppose that considerable number of
learned, to read and write after the age
of ten years, but the great majority will
not. We should not increase this alarm
ing mass of illiteracy by Importation
According to the figures above quoted
the proportion of illiterates among the
native-born white populate ten years
Of age and over is per cent, and that
of the foreign-born population is Is per
cent.
Foreign-born children who come to
this country while young enough to at
tend the public schools become thorough
ly Americanized, but that is not always
the case with those who come after they
have reached adult years. 1t is often
the case. but not always. Within a few
days a foreigner was heard roundly
abusing this country. its laws. lawmak-
ers and institutions. He was man of
natural intelligence. skilled workman.
earning exceptionally high wages, had
travelled and worked in several European
countries, and had been a citizen Of the
United States about ten years. Although
he was a fluent talker, he showed sur
prising ignorance Of American institu-
tons and legislation. His talk was little
short Of socialistic. He declared that
there was no legislation in this country
except class legislation, that nine-tenths
Of the members of both houses of Con-
gress were millionaires, that there had
never been a law passed by Congress or
any State legislature in the interests uf
labor or the laboring class, that ali the
sourts were corrupt, and so on. Not.
withstanding his general intelligence,
fairly good education in foreign coun-
try and extensive travel, little investi-
cation showed he was absolutely ignor-
ant OF the matters he was talking about
He had never read the Constitution of
the United States nor of Indiana. He
did not know that Congress had passed
law making eight hours days work
for all laborers. workmen and mechanics
employed by the government. He did
not know that seventeen States have
enacted laws on the same subject. He
did not know that many States have
laws against child labor in factories. He
knew nothing about the labor laws In
this State. He wanted to know why
Congress did not pass compulsory edu-
cation law, and when told that it had no
right to do so under the Constitution he
asked who made the Constitution and
whether the people could not vote it
down. He did not know that several
States have already passed compulsory
education laws. In short, he was dense
ly ignorant Of American institutions and
legislation and devoid of American ideas.
Yet he was a leader among a class of
workmen who earn very high wages. 1t
is doubtful if he will ever become thor
oughly and safely Americanized. By far
M greatest part of foreigners who come
here do, but some do not. The number
of unassimilated and un-Americanized
foreigners. like the mass of illiteracy,
should be kept as low as possible. 1t
would not be right to exclude foreign
immigrants of adult years. otherwise ad-
missible and qualified to become Ameri-
can citizens. through fear that they may
not become Americanized. but 1t is en-
tirely feasible and right to exclude per-
sons Of the age Of sixteen years or over
who cannot read or write. European
countries have no more right to dump
their illiteracy upon the United States
than they have to send their paupers
and criminals here. We have more than
enough of all these classes without ad-
hitting more.