Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-10
IN the HOUSE.
Report on immigration Bill Accepted-Pen
sions Passed Over Presidents Veto.

washington, Fen. Sin the House,
in order it might prepare bill maxi
ing appropriations for carrying on the
rostal service in the year ended June
go 1898, the committee on pOstoffices
and postroads. was permitted to sit
during the sessions of the House.
Danforth, Rep. of Ohio, called up the
second agreement of the conferees
upon the immigration bill. which was
presented to the House, yesterday, and
after the reading of the statement by
the conferees, he demanded the pre-
vious question. This second. "a to IL
The bill as agreed upon provides for
the admission of illiterate wives and
children of male immigrants who
themselves are eligible to admission.
The educational test was changed to
admit any male immigrant. otherwise
qualified, who can read and write the
English or some other language. The
first agreement compelled the immi-
grant to read and write in the
language of their native or resident
nation" The sections relating to the
coming of birds of passage" especial
ly over the Canadian border, was
changed to read:
Section 4. 1t shall hereafter be un-
lawful for any male alien who has not
in faith made a declaration before a
proper court of his intention to become
a citizen of the United States. to be
employed on any public works of the
United States. or 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 a
foreign country.
Section a.-It shall be unlawful for any
person. partnership. company or corpo-
ration knowingly to employ any alien
coming into the United States in violation
of the next preceding section of this act;
provided. that the provisions of this act
shall not apply to the employment of
sailors. deckhands or other employees of
vessels. or railroad trainhands such as
conductors. engineers. brakemen. fire.
men and Engagement. whose duties re-
reach the termini of their runs or to
boatmen or guides on the lakes and rivers
on the northern border of the United
States.
Section 6.-Anv violation of the provi-
sions of sections 4 and 8 of this act by
any alien or citizen shall be deemed Il
misdemeanor. punishable bv fine not
exceeding $500 or Imprisonment not ex-
ceeding one year. or both such fine and
Imprisonment in the discretion of the
court; provided. all persons convicted of
a violation of section of this act shall
be deported to the country whence they
came.
Section notwithstanding the provi-
sions of this or any other existing law.
the secretary of the treasury may per-
init aliens to enter this country for the
purpose of teaching new arts or indus
tries under such rules and regulations as
he may provide.
A new section was added Section s.
This act shall not apply to persons arriv-
ing in the United States from any place
continuance of the present disorders
there. who have hitherto been inhabit-
ants of that island.
Pending the discussion of the bill a
message was received from the Senate
conveying the concurrent resolution re-
questing the President to return to Con-
gress the Senate bill recently passed to
amend the act to repeal the timber Gull
ture law. On motion of Hyde. Rep of
Washington. the House concurred in the
resolution.
The immigration bill was discussed, and
the report agreed to. 1872 to IA. demand
for the yeas and nays was seconded The
vote resulted: Yeas. PIT: nays. 81.
a pension to Rachael Patton. soldiers
widow. who afterwaru married and is
now the divorced widow of her recent
of Illinois. Advocating fine passage Of
the bill. Cummings, Dem, of New York
said:
This poor woman gave her husband to
the government All she got back from
the government was his dead body
which she buried at her own expense
Can it be that this House, which voted a
pension of $4,000 a year to the widow of a
chief justice of the supreme court of the
United States. because he had been
chief Justice will refuse to do justice to
this widow? do not know how the gen
tlemen of the House may look at it, but
in view of these facts. ! prefer to stand
by the precedent made by Andrew Jack
son. rather than to stand by the prece-
dent sought to be made by Grover Cleve-
land
the President to the contrary notwith-
standing. 1877 to 60.
Sulloway, Rep, of New Hampshire.