The record-union., 1897-01-28
Sharp Debate For and Against the Report
Of the Conference Committee.
The New Measure Finally Adopted by
Vote of 131 to III.
Provides That Immigrants Tlust be
Able to Read and Write in the
Language of Their Native or Resi-
dent Country, Which 1t Was Ad-
mitted During the Debate Was In
tended to Prevent the Coming of a
Great Body of Russian Jews.

Great Body of Russian Jews.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 27.-The House
to-day, after the reading of the jour
nal, entered upon the consideration OF
the immigration bill as agreed upon by
the conferrees of the House and Sen
ate Bartholdt Rep) of Missouri, Chair
man of the House Committee on I'm
migration, refused to sign the report. 1t
was agreed that the debate should con-
tinue until 4:15 O'Clock to-day, and
that members should have the right to
print.
Danford Rep.) of Ohio opened the de-
bate in the presence of large number
of members, but an unusually small at
tendance in the galleries. He explained
the changes made in conference, and
answered the objections made to the
separation of an illiterate husband and
his wife. He admitted that this bill
was drawn for the purpose OF excluding
undesirable immigrants, and the edu-
cational test was inserted in order to
carry out that purpose. The time had
come, he said, when something should
be done to restrict immigration. Time
and again the conventions of the two
great parties had promised the country
relief on this score, but this was the
first real effort to make good these
promises.
He read from statistical returns Of the
superintendent of immigration to show
the large proportion of illiterates COM
ing to the United States from the south
ern and eastern portions of Europe, as
serting that the immigration from the
western and northern nations of Europe
would be but little effected by the pro-
posed legislation. A significant state
ment had been made in the newspapers
recently to the effect that if every in
dustrial wheel in the country was
started and the mills fully manned
there would be two or three hundred
thousand men still unemployed He did
not speak for THE Weary Watkins -
who did not want work at any time. but
for those who did want TO labor, and
who We're pleading for legislation for
their protection. The provisions of the
bill known as the Corliss amendments,
and intended to deal with that class
known as birds of passage" Danford
said would doubtless be found difficult
TO enforce-more difficult probably than
was imagined; but that something
should be done to prevent the forays of
these people who come in the summer
and flee in the winter was generally
conceded.
Dolhver Rep.) of Iowa asked what
was the purpose of departing from the
educational test fixed by the House and
Senate bill, mad providing that the i'm
migrant should read and write the
Constitution Of the United States in the
language OF their native or resident
country.
Danford replied that It was to reach
the Russian Jews, who, being driven
from their homes and having drained
the charity of Western Europe. were
being thrown upon our shores in grea
numbers. For the first time in their
history the Hebrews Associated Chari-
ties of New York We're compelled to ap-
peal for aid to the people outside their
own race for the relief of their people
in that city. He concluded with an ear
nest plea for the passage of the bill.
Which would in some small degree re-
lieve the country from the menace to
which ii is exposed under present laws
He did not ask that hardship be worked
10 anyone. but that the interests of the
residents of the country might be con-
served.
In opening the debate in opposition ia
the adoption of the report Bartholdi
said he had refused to sign the re-
port for two reasons. First. that by its
provisions families - husbands and
wives, mothers and children-would be
separated; and second. that il forbade
the entrance Of immigrants who could
not read the language of their native
or adopted country. These drastic pro-
visions, he said, We're not contained in
either the House or Senate bills. and
their appearance vindicated his ex-
pressed fears some weeks ago thar IL
the bill went to conference II would re-
turn in a shape which could not be
justified to the constituents of many
Representatives, and would offend the
sense OF justice and right in the coun-
try.
The BILL Bartholdt asserted, would
defeat the purpose noninally urged by
its advocates-that of establishing ar
educational test II would shut out. 70,
instance. a class of Germans who had
for 300 years made their homes in Rus
sia, the language of which they did not
speak also many residents of Alsace-
Lorraine who had not yet acquired the
German language.
To HIT (R.) of Illinois who inquired
as to the status OF the Swiss, who had
no distinctive national language. would
they be shut out according to the gen.
tleman's construction of the law, Bar
tholdt said three languages had Official
recognition in Switzerland, and the i'm
migrant from that country could choose
among them.
Many members interrogated Bar
tholdt with a view to demonstrating
that the language clause would nol
work such disadvantage as he imagin-
ed To all of them he said his object
was to perfect the measure SO as not
to expose desirable immigrants to the
jeopardy involved in the present form
of the BILL Several suggestions were
made as to the best manner in which tt
secure this end, but friends of the bill
found none of them accepta ble Refer
ring to the statement that the bill was
intended to reach especially the Rus
sian Jews. Bartholdt said: IF in this