The San Francisco call., 1897-03-03
Cleveland Says the Measure
Is Unnecessarily Harsh
and Oppressive.
Defects in the Proposed Law
That Would Cause Family
Separations.
Iliiteracy Tests That Cou,d Enable an
Educated Man to Desert His
Wife

WASHINGTON, D. c., March 2.-Pres-
ident Cleveland. in his message vetoing
the mmigration bill, calls attention to the
first section of that measure, excluding
from admission to the United States IL
liteIate persons designated in the section,
and declares that the provision presents a
radical departure from onr National pol
icy relating to immigration.
Heretofore" he says, 1--WE have well
coined all who have come to us from other
lands except those whose mora or physi-
cal condition or history threatened dan
ger to our National welfare and safety.
Relying upon the jealous watchfulness OF
our people to prevent injury to our polit-
Ical and social fabric, we have encouraged
those coming from foreign countries to
cast their lot with us and join in the de-
vslopment OF our vast domain, securing,
in return, share in the blessing OF
American citizenship. A century's stu
pendous growth, largely due to the as
similation and thrift of millions OF sturdy
and patriotic adopted citizens, attesrs the
success OF this generous and free-handed
policy, which, while guarding the peoples
interests, exacts from our immigrants
only physical and moral soundn ess and
Willingness and abili.y to work.
"A ntemplation of the grand results
of this policy" he writes, cannot fail
to arouse sentiment in it's defense"
Referring to the claims that the quality
of recent immigration is undesirable,
President Cleveland says the time is quite
within recent memory when the same
thing was said of immigrants who. with
their descendants, are now numbered
among our best citizens. It is said too
many immigrants settle in our cities, thus
dangerously increasing their idle and
vicious population. This is surely dis
advantage. 1t cannot be shown, however,
that 1t affects all our cities, nor that it is
permanent; nor does it appear that this
condition, where it exists, dem ands as its
remedy the reversal of our present immi-
grafton policy. The claim is also made
that the influx of foreign laborers deprives
of the opportunity OF work those that are
better entitled than they to the privilege
of earning their livelihood by daily toll.
An unfortunate condition is certainty pre-
sented when people who are willing to
labor are unemployed. But so far as this
condition now exists among our people, 1T
must be conceded to be result OF the
phenomenal business depression and
stagnation Of all business enterprises in
which labor is factor. With the advent
of sattled and wholesome financial and
economic government policies, and con-
sequent activity of capital, the mis-
fortunes of unemployed labor should, to a
great extent, at least, be remedied.
IF it continues its natural consequences
must be to check the further immigration
to our cities OF foreign laboIers and to de-
piete the ranks of those already there. In
the meantime those most willing and best
entitled ought to be able to secure the ad-
vantage of such work as tn re is to do"
The educational test contained in the
bill receives close attention. On this par
tcular point Mr.. Cleveland says:
I'm my opinion it is Infinitely more safe
to admit 100000 immigrants. who, though
unable to read and write, seek among US
only nome and an opportunity to work,
than to admit one OF those unruly agi-
tors and enemies of governmental control
who can not only read and write, but de-
lights in arousing by infammatory speech
the illiterate and peacefully inclined to
discomfort and tumult. Violence and dis
order do not originate with illiterate la
borers. They are rather the victims of
the educated agitators. The ability to
read and write, as required in this bill, in
and of itself, affords, in my opinion, a
misleading test of contented industry and
supplies Unsatisfactory evidence of de-
sirable citizenship or proper apprecla-
ton of the benefits of our institutions.
The provisions intended to rtd that part
of the proposed legislation already re-
ferred to from obvious hardship appears
to me to be indefinite and inadequate.
"a parent, grandparent, wife or minor
child or qualified immigrant though
unable to read and write, may accompany
ba mi or hQ for n ioir hio
family, providing the immigrant is capa-
BILE OF supporting such relative. These
exceptions to the general rules of exclu-
sion contained in the bill were made to
prevent the separation of families and get
neither brothers nor sisters are provided
for. In order that relatives who are pro-
vided for may be reunited those still in
foreign lands must be sent for TO join the
i'm mmigrant here. What formalIty is
necessary TO constitute this prerequisite
and how are the facts OF relationship and
that the relative is sent for to be estab-
lished? Are the illiterate relatives of i'm
migrants who have come here under prior
laws entitled to the advantage OF these ex-
ceptions? A husband who can read and
write and who determines to abandon his
illiterate vile abroad Will find here under
this law an absolute, direct and safe
method. The relatives mentioned must
not only be sent for. but such immigrant
III uSI pe CGpduic VI supporting Cuem Wneu
they arrive. This requirement proceeds
upon the assumption that the foreign re-
lations coming here are in every case by
reason of poverty liabe to become a pub
lie charge unless the immigrant is capable
Of their support. The contrary is very
often true. And yet. if unable to read
and write, though quite able and willing
to support them- elves and their relatives
here besides. they could not be admitted
under the. provisions of this bill ii the i'm
migrant was impoverished, though the
,, aid of his fortunate bu. iliterate brother
might be the means of saving him from
rauperism."
Further on the President remarks:
prohibition against the employment Of
aliens upon any public works of the
United states is in line with other legisia-
tion of like character. It is quite a