The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-28

MI q. w. stone (Hep- Iowa. aQVO-
Gated the adoption of the conference
adopted congress would do nothing at
this session of congress toward the
restriction of immigrants. He had re-
ceived many kilograms like the one
he sent TO the clerks desk and had
read from a steamboat agency in Chi
cago, requesting constituents TO wire
their congressman to vote against the
immigration bill under threats that an
affirmative vote meant defeat for re-
election. The demand for the passage
of the bill had been made by the ma
tional conventions of the Republican
! and Democratic parties and, further,
| the immigration of recent years en-
tered into disastrous competition with
the working men of the country, fore
ing them to either take low wages or
to abandon their labors altogether. If
the test proposed in the law had been
| in effect the past year, 1t would have
kept out 6S,1 63 immigrants from RUS
STA, Italy and Austro-Hungary, from
! which generally the undesirable class
| came, while only LAG would have been
returned to Germany, Sweden and Nor
way, England and Ireland, which fur
nished the desirable immigrants. In
view of these facts, how unfounded
was the claim that the Germans OPP
posed the bill for it did not affect them.
! DDCdhlIS Ol the QISlIiDullOI VI TIC iii
migrants, Mr.. Stone said that of the
342, 900 who came in last year pas re-
manned in the states of Massachusetts,
| New York and Pennsylvania 1T is
no wonder he said, with great earn
| estness, that the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr. Barthold) and other
western representatives opposed the
passage of the immigration bill, be-
cause it does not trouble them"
! Mr.. Johnson (Rep. Ind.) followed in
! favor of the conference report. The
! bill proposed, he said, did not go far
enough. He wished one broad enough
and drastic enough to meet the evil
which the legislation was intended to
meet There were many immigrants
who could read and write who were
otherwise totally unfit to become Amer
lean citizens. Any law short of alb
solute restriction of immigration must
necessarily be arbitrary in it's effects.
Gentlemen might quote scripture,
might go back to ancient history, make
beautiful speeches about the humanl-
ties; but the practical fact was that
the time had come when the American
civilization was in danger from the
innovation of foreign hOrdes upon our
shores TO deteriorate the blood.
Mr.. Parker (Rep. N. H.) objected to
the report of the conference committee
for the reason that it went further
imam the DTONlSlOnS VI clluCi tic 1lOQSC
or senate BILL and that was beyond the
purview of such a body.
Mr.. Corliss (Rep. Mich.) explained
the necessity of the provisions in the
bill suggested by himself, aimed at
what are known as birds of passage.
In Detroit alone. he said, there were
10000 citizens anxious TO work, unable
to obtain it because of the presence
Of aliens who were there temporarily.
defrauding the American citizens out
of their rights. When he took his oath
of office as a member of the house. 1t
was not to legislate for the benefit OF
the whole world, but for the upbuilding
and protection of the American people.
(Applause).
nothing in his experience as member
of congress had made his blood boil
as had this conference report. The
nihilist socialist ard anarchist could
easily pass the educational test and
come in 1t would be better to admit
some of the honest farmers and work
ingmen who could not read
While Mr.. Cannon CRep. Ills) had
voted to exclude the Chinese, alien con-
tract labor and paupers, and favored
the imposition of the educational test
provided in the house bill, he could not
support the conference report, because
il was ambiguous. If it was desirable
to shut out certain classes of people,
shut them out directly and not in an
indirect manner.
MIR. Morse (Rep. Mass.} said his col
league (Mr Walker) did not represent
the sentiment of Massachusetts on the
subject: it demanded restricted immi-
grafton, and the pending bill met that
demand.
Mr. Grosvenor Rep. Ohio would not
vote for a bill that permitted a man TO
abandon his wife and bring in his pau
per relatives. He would not vote for
a measure framed specially to restrict
entrance of the Russian Jews, for such
a vote would be charged up to him as
a vote against man on account or
his religion: and he would not vote for
the provision which opened the door 10
immigrants of any class, pauper, GRIM
inal or insane, provided only that they
had resided for time in Cuba.
Mr. Danford (Rep. Ohio)-That is to
last only as long as the revolution
lasts.
Mr.. Grosvenor-Well. that may be a
long time if the revolution continues
as long as the last one did.
Mr. Dolliver (Rep. Iowa) antagonized
the report, expressing the opinion that
it was vastly more important for
man to enjoy the society of his wife
than of his grandmother, as the bill
provided. 1t also contained a pro-
vision for free immigration from Cuba
This was probably intended to bring
thrill of joy into the insurgents camps
in Cuba, being informed that after two
years of consideration and a variety
of legislation the great American re-
public had decided to admit Cubans
into this country without undergoing
civil service examination. Uaughter).
Mr.. Boatner Dem. Lao spoke for,
and Mr. Taylor (Rep. Ohio) against the
report, and the debate was concluded
by Mr.. Hepburn (Rep. Iowa. in favor
of the conference report.
In concluding his remarks Mr.. Hep
burn drew an eloquent and effective
picture of the American wOrkingman,
citizen without work, searching for it,
and returning home unsuccessful
What lullaby" he asked, will that
man sing to his hungry child at night,
to satisfy its cravings? That man has
the ballot and knowing what your
knowledge must be Of his action, l
ask if it is not the part, of patriotism
and craftsmanship to provide for him."
He expressed the belief that even on
this inclement day there were 100000
American citizens unable to obtain
work, turned out of their places to
make room for those from foreign
lands. You talk of dividing the boun-
ties of the great republic with the peo-
pie of the whole world. Let us serve
our own first. Let us keep the places
for American laborers to live in, and
then, if you have to spare, we can in
vite in those of other nations" cloud
applause).
The vote was then taken on the
adoption of the conference report, and
on a division it was agreed to-116 to
los Mr. Barthold demanded the yeas