Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-18
IN THE SENATE.
immigration Bill Amended s6saiot y Apply
to Cuban Refugees.

washington, dec. It'll the oeIlsttc, VI
motion by Hale. that when the Senat'
adjourn, today, ii adjourn until Monday
met with some remonstrances on boil
sdesAof the chamber, but was agreed to
without division.
The House amendments to the Senat.
bill as to the lands of the Atlantic Il Pa
cific Railroad Co., WAS laid before thu
Senate and We're, on motion of Hill. non
concurred in and a conference asked
HILL Plat and Clark being appointed
conferees on the part of the Senate.
In presenting a lot of petitions from
Alabama. declaring there was no Lawful
state government in that state, Chandler
FLASHED with Allen in reference to tnt
failure of Aliens resolution of inquiry
on that subject. last session. Chandler
asserting that the resolution failed be-
cause of some Incorporate remarks OF
Aliens, questioning the motives OF ne
publican senator's; Allen denying thae,
but asserting that he had grave suspicion
that the resolution would never be acteo
on in good faith on the Republican size
of the chamber. -,
After the passage OF two senate pr l. !,
on the calendar (as to accounts OF aInis
officers graduates of West Point MIN.
tary academies. and for the feilci OF
Major VIM. Maynedir), the House blii 10
amend the immigration laws was tahet,
up The Senate amendment was modliled
to make the exclusion paragraph read:
'All persons over l6 who cannot READ
and write the language OF theif na'lVe
country or some other language; but an
admissible immigrant over such age or
lG may bring in with him or send for his
wife or parent or grandparent or minor
child or grandchild. Notwithstanding
their inability to read and write.
Morgan Dem, of Alabama, moved 10
amend the bill so that it shall not apply
10 immigrants from Cuba The demands
of humanity, he said were obvious in
their relation to Cuba. The United States
could not afford to send back Cuban to
the merciless grasp of the men from
whom he escaped. An exception, he ar
gued could be made without interfering
with the general clause in treaties as to
1.-THE most favored nations.
Hoar suggested that better way
would be ii provision authorizing the sec
rotary OF state to provide for the admls-
sion of immigrants fleeing from war or
political oppression or in consequence OF
political disorder.
After a long discussion. Morgan's
amendment, modified so the act shall
not apply to persons arriving IN the
United States from any port or place in
the island of Cuba during the continu-
ance of the present disorders there, pro-
vided that such persons nave been mere
tofore inhabitants of that island. was
agreed to: Yeas, Al; nays, g.: the mega
tives votes being given by Caffery. Dem,
of Louisiana. Hill. Dem, of New York
Lindsay. Dem, of Kentucky: Palmer
Dem, of Illinois Pettigrew. Silver Rep.
of South Dakota, and Walthall, Dem, of
Mississippi.
EIkins. Rep. of West Virginia offered
an amendment for the collection OF
mead TAX OF T1b on All iIflfiilSIaitlc Noiii-
ing to the United States in vessels not
of the United States. Nelson Rep. of
Minnesota. opposed the amendment, say
ing he would rather vote to prevent I'M
migration altogether than vote for an
amendment that would be a tax on COM
mon humanity, and that would make the
United States the most mercenary and
ahject of all the nations of the earth.
Elkins spoke in support of the amend
ment urging that American steamship
lines could bring in all the immigrants,
and that besides it was desirable TO re-
strict immigration
Chandler opposed the amendment, say
ing that he was willing to aid an Ameri-
can steamship line by appropriations
from the treasury but was not wiling 10
have a head tax imposed on immigrants.
Perkins favored the amendment, the
effect of which. he said. would be TO
make a gift of so to the Immigrant VINO
ing old Glory and give the imm-
grant his first lesson in American citi-
Zenship.
Hill declared that in his opinion the
amendment was entirely in the wrong
direction. 1t had been defended on the
high and lofty ground of protection. 1t
was the principle of protection run mad
and of paternalism run mad 1t would be
better to provide that there should be no
at all.
Wolcott, Rep. of Colorado. also OPP
posed the amendment. The effect OF 1t
would be- he said, to cause immigrants
from Europe to land at a Canadian port
and cross the St. Lawrence into the
United States. and cause immigrants
from China and Japan to take steam
ships to Vancouver. inasmuch as the
amendment would not apply to immi-
grants coming by land.
After further discussion. Elkins
amendment was rejected. Morgan offered
an amendment prohibiting naturalization
of any alien who cannot read correctly
the Ten Commandments and the constl-
tuition OF the United States printed in
some language" and made an argument
in support of it. Lodge opposed the
amendment as opening up new ana I'M
portant questions. and moved to lay 1t
on the table. The motion was agreed to-
Yeas. q; nays, lG
The bill was passed; Yeas, q; nays, 10.
The following IL the vote in detail:
YraS-AlIen. Bacon. Baker. Bate Berry,
Brown. Burrows. Butler, Call. Cameron,
Cannon. Chandler Chiffon. Clark, Davis,
Dubois Elkins. Faulkner, Frye Calm
ger. Hale lIAnsboroush. Harrison. haW-
ley. Iiill. Hoar Kyle. lodge Mcbride.
Mcmillan. Mantle. Martin, Mitchell of
Oregon, Morrill,. Nelson. Pasco, Pcffer,
Perkins. poitiGrcw. Platt. Proctor. fugh,
Quay. Scwcil Smith Stewart, Teller,
Vest Walthan. Wetmorc and Wilson.
Nays Blackburn. blanchard. taffrcN.
Lindsay. Mills. Mitchell OF Wisconsin,
Morgan. Murphy. Palmer and Villas.
A committee of conference was ordered.
Senators Lodge Rep, of Mhs@achuSettS;
Chandler, Rep. Of New Hampshire; ana
Faulkner Mem. OF West Virginia being
appointed conforces on the part OF the
the Senate, at 40 Il. M, adjourned Till