The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1897-03-05
VETOED By CLEVELAND
Refused to Sign the New Immi-
grafton Law.
HE CRITICIZES THE MEASURE.
Calls 1t a Radical Departure From Our
Past Policy Relating To Immigration
Especially DisIilSes the Educational Test
and the Clause Affecting Canadians

a
dent has sent to the house of repre-
sentatives message vetOlng the lmml-
grafton bill in which he says:
.'By the first section Of this bill 1t Is
proposed to amend section l of the act
of March 3. 1891. relating 10 immigra-
tion. by adding TO the classes of aliens
thereby excluded from admission TO the
United States: All persons physically
capable and over IS years Of age who
cannot read and write the English Ian
guage or some other language tparents
over 90 years old being excluded from
its provisions)
"A radical departure from our ma
tiOnaI policy relating TO lmmi grafton Is
here presented. Heretofore we have
welcomed all who came 10 US from
other lands except those whose moral
or physical condition or history threat
ened danger 10 our national welfare
and safety"
The president then refers TO our pres
ent growth and sturdy people as proof
that our liberal immigration laws have
been a good thing for the country.
He declares that the present cOndi-
tiOns-so many people being unem-
Ployed-as not due to the country being
OvercrOwded, but 70 a general stagna-
tion of business. Says he: with the
advent of settled and wholesome finau-
cial and economic governmental policies
and d consequent encouragement 70 the
activity of capital, the misfOrtunes of
unemployed labor should TO a great ex-
tent at least be remedied."
Regarding the educational test he
says The best reason that could be
gwen for this radical restriction OF I'M
migration Is the necessity OF PROTECTING
our population against degeneration and
saving our national peace and quiet
from imported turbulence and disorder.
Il cannot believe that we would be
protected against these evils by limit
ing immigration TO those who can read
and write in any language % words OF
our constitution. In my opinion 1t is
infinitely more safe to admit lO0,O 600
migrants, who, though unable TO
read and write, seek among us only
home and opportunity to work, than to
admit one of those unruly agltatOrS and
enemies of governmental control who
cannot only read and write, but delights
in arousing by inflanatory speech the
illiterate and peacefully inclined to dis
content and tumult. Violence and dis
order do not originate with illiterate
labOrerS. They are rather the victims
of the educated agitatOr.
"a parent, grandparent, wife or
minor child of q qualified immigrant,
though unable TO read and write, may
accompany the immigrant or be sent
for to Join his family provided the i'm
migrant is capable of supporting such
relative. These exceptions to the gen
eral rule of exclusion contained in the
bill were made to prevent the separa-
ton of families, and yet neither
brothers nor sisters are provided for.
In order that relatives who are provided
for may be reunited, those still in
foreign lands must be sent for to join
the Immigrant here.
"A husband who can read and write
and who determines to abandon his
illiterate wife abroad viii find here
under this law an absolutely safe re-
treat The iliterate relatives mentioned
must not only be sent for but such i'm
migrant must be capable of supporting
them when they arrive"
The president says that often the
illiterate relative Is the one who is we'll
tO-dO and would support his better edu-
Gated relation and should not be barred
The president further says: THE
prohibition against the employment of
aliens upon any public works of the
United States Is in line with other
legislation of a like character 1t is
quite a different thing, however, to de-
clare 1t a crime for an alien to come
regularly and habitually into the United
states Tor the purpose or obtaining
work from private parties, if such alien
returns from time 20 time to a foreign
country, and TO constitute any employ
ment of such alien a criminal offense
when we consider these provisions
of the bill in connection with our long
northern frontier and the boundaries of
several of our states and territories
often but an imaginary line separating
them from the British dOminiOns. and
recall the friendly intercourse between
the people who are neighbOrs on either
side, the provisions of this bill affecting
them must be regarded as illiberal, mar
row and un-American.
THE residents of these states and
territories have separate and special
interests, which in many cases make an
interchange of labor between their
people and their alien labors most i'm
pOrtant, frequently with the advantage
largely in favor of our citizens.
Such unfriendly legislation as is pro-
posed could hardly fail to provoke re-
taLatOry measures to the injury to
many of our citizens who now have
employment on adjoining foreign soil. -