The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-18
Opponents of the Measure Develop
Win by a Vote of "a to 81.
FEATURES OF ITS PROVISIONS
BILL READY FOR. THE PRESIDENTS
APPROVAL OR REFLECTION.
House Passes n Measure of Importance
to Arid Regions and Discusses
a Contested Election Case.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE immigra-
ton bill now goes to the President. the last
legislative step having been taken in the
Senate to-day by an agreement to the con-
ference report on the bill. Strong opposi-
tion was made to the report, but on the
final vote the friends Of the measure rallied
a small majority, the vote being, yeas, "a;
nays, 81. The bill, as passed. extends the
immigration restrictions against 'all per-
sons physically capable and over sixteen
years of ago who cannot read and write
the English language or some other
language; but person not so able 10 read
and write who is over fifty years of age,
and Is the parent or grandparent OF
qualified immigrant over twenty-one years
of age and capable of supporting such
parent or grandparent may accompany such
immigrant, or such a parent or grand
parent may be sent for and come 10 join the
family Of child or grandchild over twenty
one years of age, similarly qualified and
capable, and wife or minor child not so
able to read and write may accompany or
be sent for and come TO join the husband
or parent similarly qualified and capable"
For the purpose of testing the immigrants s
literacy he is compelled TO read and
write from twenty to twenty-five words of
the United States Constitution. Aside from
these extensions of the present law the bill
iraugurates new system of restricting i'm
migration from border countries and de-
signed TO apply principally to immigration
from Canada. The provisions are as fol-
lows:
Section 4. That it shall hereafter be un-
lawful for any male alien who has not In
good faith made his declaration before the
or
citizen OF the United States to be employed
on any public works of the United states
or to come regularly or habituslly into the
United States by land or water for the pur-
pose of engaging in any mechanical trade
or manual labor for wages or salary, re-
turning from time to time to a foreign
country.
Sec. 5. That it shall be unlawful for
any person. partnership, company or cor
poration knowingly TO employ any alien
coming into the United States in violation
of the next preceding section Of this act:
Providing, that the provisions of this act
shall not apply 10 the employment OF
sailors, deck hands or other employees of
vessels, or railroad train hands, such as
conductors, enslneers, brakemen, ai ilremen,
to pass over the frontier TO reach the
termini of their runs, or to boatmen or
guides on the lakes and rivers on the
northern border of the United States"
A violation of these sections is made a
misde meanor punishable by fine up 10 $500
or Imprisonment up to ore year, or both. "A
ton of the law persons arriving from Cuba
during the continuance of the present dis
order there. The law is to take effect
July l next.
During the morning hour Mr.. Allen spoke
cn his resolution relating 10 dismissals from
office at South Omaha, Neb. He said the
alleged causes of dismissal were utterly
puerile. The senator declared that in the
case of two ladies who were discharged
their offense was that of having Mr. Bry-
ans pictures in their windows. There were
six other ladies' Mr.. Allen said who had
Mckinley pictures in their windows. bnt
they were not disturbed. The ladies who
displayed the Bryan pictures did ii in honor
of a citizen of their own State and yet,
Mr.. Allen said. this administration had
brought about the discharges. The senator
cited other cases of men who had been dis
missed, he alleged because they had spoken
for Bryan. Mr.. Allen declared that from
was a fraud and a delusion and that the
Civil-Service Commission was using Ii for
most unworthy purposes. Mr.. Aliens reso-
luton calling on the Civil-service Commits
sion for full information as to the South
Omaha discharges was then agreed to.
A resolution by Mr.. Pettigrew was agreed
to- requesting the secretary of state for a
copy of any reply that may have been re-
ceived TO the letter of Secretary Gresham
to Sir Julian Pauncefote. British embas-
Sador, in January, 1895, calling attention of
the British government TO the utter failure
to protect the fur seals under the award
of the Paris court of arbitration. Also a
secretary of the interior whether he had
granted privileges to certain persons to
operate a steam passenger appliance in the
Yellowstone canyon, and II so, to suspend
such grant. AT 515 the Senate went into
executive and soon thereafter adjourned.