The record-union., 1897-03-03
real cause of complaint cannot be al

real cause of complaint cannot be al
legged.
The provisions intended to rid that
part of the proposed legislation already
referred to from obvious hardship ap-
pear to me to be indefinite and made
quate. A parent, grandparent, wife
or minor child of a 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 gem
eral rule of exclusion contained in
the bill were adopted to prevent the
separation of families, and yet neither
brothers or sisters are provided for
In order that relatives who are provid-
ed for may be united, those still in for
eign lands must be sent for to join the
immigrant here.
The fourth section of the bill pro-
v1des that it shall be unlawful for any
male alien who has not in good faith
made his declaration before the proper
court of his intention to become citi-
zen of the United States, to be en-
pioyed on any public works of the
United States, or to come regularly or
habitually into the United States by
land or water for the purpose of en-
gaging in any mechanical trade or
manual labor for wages or salary, re-
| turning from time to time to foreign
country
The fifth section provides that it
shall be unlawful for any person, part
nership, company or incorporation
knowingly to employ any alien coming
into the United States in violation of
the next preceding section of this Act
The prohibition against the employ
ment of aliens on any public works of
the United States is in line with other
legislation of a like character. 1t is
quite different thing, however, to de-
clare it crime for an alien to come
regularly and habitually into the
United States for the purpose of OBJ
tanning work from private parties, if
such alien returns from time to time
to foreign country, and to constitute
any employment Of such alien criminal
o1fense. When we consider these pro
visions of the bill in connection with
our long northern frontier and the
boundaries of several of our States and
Territories. often but an imaginery line
separating them from the British do
minions, and recall the friendly inter-
course between the people who are
neighbOrs on either side the provisions
Of this bill affecting them must be re-
garded as illiberal, narrow and un-
American.
The residents of these States and
Territories have separate and especial
interests which in many cases makes
an interchange of labor between their
people and their alien laborers most
important, frequently with the advan-
tage largely in favor of our citizens
This suggests the inexpediency of
Federal Interference with these condi-
tions, when not necessary to the cor
rection of a substantial evil affecting
the general welfare. Such unfriendly
legislation as is proposed could hardly
fail to provoke retaliatory measures
to the injury of many of our citizens
who are now employed on adjoining
foreign soil
"A careful examination of this bill
has convinced me that for the reasons
given, and others not specifically
stated, its provisions are unnecessarily
harsh and oppressive, and that it's de-
fects in construction would cause
Vexation and its operation would result
i'll harm to our citizens
GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion, March =, 1897"