The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-03-03
RETURNS IT WITH HIS VETO
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND REFUSES
 TO SIGN IMMIGRATION BILL.

OoJects to It Mainly Because it Would Not,
 as He Views it, Cure the Ills for Which it
 Has Been Proposed as Remedy--Pro-
 visions of the Measure Loosely Drawn
 and Not Sufficiently Explicit.
 Washington, March 2.-The president sent the following message vetoing the immigration bill to the house late this afternoon:
 To the House of Representatives:
 l herewith return without approval house bill 1864, entitled "An Act to Amend the Immigration Laws of the United States" By the first section of this bill it is proposed to amend sec- tion one of the act of March 8, 1891. re- lating to immigration, by adding to the classes of aliens thereby excluded from the United States the following:
 "All persons physically capable ard over sixteen years of age, who cannot read and write the English language or some other language, but person not so able to read and write who is over fifty years of age and is the parent or grandparent of qualified immi- grant over twenty-one years of age and capable Of supporting such parent or grandparent, may accompany such in1- migrant, or such a parent or grand parent may be sent for and come and join the family of child or grand child over twenty one years Of age, similarly qualified and capable, and a. wife or minor child not so able to read and write may accompany or be sent for and come and join the husband or parent similarly qualified and capa- ble."
 radical departure from our nation al policy relating to immigration is here presented. Heretofore we have welcomed all who came to us from other lands, except those whose moral or physical condition or history threat ened danger to our national welfare and safety. Relying upon the jealous watchfulness of our people to prevent injury to our political and social fabric, we have encouraged those coming from foreign countries to cast their lot with us and join in the development of our vast domain, securing in return share in the blessings of American citizen ship. A century's stupendous growth, largely due to the assimilation and thrift of millions of sturdy and patri- otic adopted citizens attests the suc- cess of this generous and free-handed policy, while guarding the peoples in- terests exacts from our immigrants only physical and moral soundness and a willingness and ability to work. l A contemplation of the grand results of this policy cannot fail to arouse 8 sentiment in it's defence, for however it might have been regarded as an original proposition and viewed as an experiment it's accomplishments are such that if it is to be uprooted at this late day it's disadvantages should be plainly apparent and the substitute adopted should be just and adequate, free from uncertainties and guarded against difficult or oppressive admin istration. It is not claimed, I believe, that the time has come for the further restriction of immigration on the ground that an excess of population overcrowds our land. It is said, how ever, that the quality of recent in1ni-
 grafton is undesirable. The time is quite within recent memory when the same was said of immigrants, who with their descendants are now numbered among our best citizens.
 It is said that too many immigrants settle in our cities thus dangerously 1 increasing their idle and vicious popu- lation. This is certainly a disadvan- | Itage. Ut cannot be shown, however, that it affects all our cities nor that it is permanent; nor does it appear that
 this condition, if it exists, demands as | it's remedy the reversal of our present
 immigration policy.
 | The claim is also made that the in-
 Aux of foreign laborers deprives of the opportunity to work those who are bet ter entitled than they to the privilege
 of earning their livelihood by daily toll. An unfortunate condition is certainly presented when any who are willing to
 labors are unemployed. But so far as
 this condition now exists among our l people it must be conceded to be a re- i suit of phenomenal business depression
 and the stagnation of all enterprises in
 which labor is a factor With the ad- vent of settled and wholesome financial
 and economic government policies and
 a subsequent encouragement to the &C., | tivity of capital the misfortune of un- employed labor should to a great ex- | tent at least be remedied. If it con- tinues it's natural consequences must be to check the further immigration to our
 cities of foreign laborers and to deplete | the ranks of those already there. In | the meantime those most willing and ! best entitled ought to be able to secure the advantages of such work as there 1 is to do. It is proposed by the bill un- | der consideration to meet the alleged
 difficulties of the situation by establish ! ing an educational test by which the right of foreigner to make his home
 with us shall be determined. Its gen.
 eral scheme is to prohibit from admis- sion to our country all immigrants phy-
 sically capable and over sixteen years
 of age who cannot read and write the | English language or some other lan-
 guage and it is provided that this test
 shall be applied by requiring inlmi- l grants seeking admission to read and
 afterwards to write not less than twen- | ty nor more than twenty-five words Of | the constitution in some language and
 that any immigrant failing in this shall not be admitted, but shall be returned
 to the country from whence he came ct the expense of the steamship of railroad company which brought him.