Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1897-03-06
ALIENS ARt BARRED
PRESIDENT CLEE ELAND VETOED
THE IMMIGRATION BILL.
Land of the Free Must Not he Closed
TO Foreigners Seeking Homes
and SusteuaRce.

Washington, March 2.-The president TO-
day sent tc the house the following mes
sage vetoing the immigration bill:
To the House of Representatives:
herewith return without approval house
bill No. 1864. entitled An act to amend
the immigration laws of the United
States BY the first section of this bill
ii is proposed to amend section l of the
act of March, 1891, relating to immigra-
ton, by adding to the classes of aliens
thereby excluded from the United States
h. following: All persons physically ca
p-ible and over 16 years of age WHO can
not read and write the English language
Or some other language, but Il person not
50 able to read and write who is over ~
parent Of a qualified immigrant over y
years Of age, and capable Of supporting
sach parent or 2randparent, may accom-
Es.ny such immigrant, or such parent OF
srandparent may be sent for and come to
join the family Of a child or grandchiId
over q years Of age similarly qualified
and capable, and a wife and minor child
not so able to read and write may ac
company CT be sent for and come and
join the husband or parent similarly quail
flied and capable
Radical Departure.
"A
policy relating to immigration is here pre-
scented. Heretofore we have welcomed all
who came to us from other lands except
those whose moral or physical condition
or history betokenS danger to our national
welfare and safety, relying upon the zeal
Gus Watchfulness of our people to pre-
vent injury to our political and social fab
!ic 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 cltl-
zenship. A centurys stupendous growth
largely due to the assimilation and the
thrift of millions of sturdy and patriotic
citizens, atteStS the success of this gen
rous and free handed policy, which
while guarding the peoples interests, cN-
acts from our immigrants only phys
ical and moral soundness and Il willing
ness and ability to work
"A contemplation of the grand results OF
CHS policy cannot fail to arouse a SEN
ti1nent in it's defense; for. however it
might have been regarded as an original
proposition and viewed as an EXPERIMENT.
its accomplishments are such that II IT
l. to be llprooted at this late day its dis
advantages should be plainly apparent
and the substitute adopted should be just
and adequate, free from uncertainty, ana
guarded against difficulty or oppressive
administration.
cit is claimed I believe, that the time
has come for the further restriction OF ia
migration on the ground that access CT
popula ton overcrowas our land. 1t is
said. however, that the quality OF recent
innlisration is undesirable; but the time
is in quite recent memory when the same
thing was said of immigrants who, With
their descendants are now numbered
among on" best citizens. 1t is said thaz
100 many Immigrants settle in our cities
thus dangerously increasing their idle an1
vicious population. This is certainly
disadvantage. 1t can not be shown, now
ever that it affects all our cities, nor does
it appear that where it exists it demands
;is it's remedy the reversal of our present
immigration policy. The claim is also
made that the influx of foreign laborers
ieprives of the opportunity to those VINO
are better fitted than they the privilege OF
earning their livelihood. This untorlu-
nate condition is certainly presented Wheh
any who are willing to labor are un2m-
DlCyed but so far this condition now
exists among Our people it must be con-
fcssed that it is the result OF phenomenal
business depression and the staSnatlon OF
all enterprises in which labor is a factor.
With the advent of settled and whole
some and economic government policies.
and a consequent encouragement to the
activity of capital. the misfortune of un-
employed labor should to Il great extent,
at least be remedied. If it continues It's
nu turaI consequence must be to cheek the
future immi migration to our cities of foreign
laIyOrers and to deplete the ranks OF those
all eady here. In the meantime those most
willing and best entitled ought to be able
to secure the advantages OIL Sucn WORK a;S
there is to do.
On Iliiteracy.
1t is proposed by the bill under consid-
Grafton to meet the alleged difficulties OF
the situation by establishing an educa-
tional test by which the right OF a tor
egner to make his home with US shall
be determined. If any particular element
Of our lliterate immigrant is to be feared
for other causes than iliteracy, these
causes should be dealt with directly in
stead of making illiteracy the preteNt OF
exclusion to the detriment of other Hitter
ate immigrants against whom the fea!
cause of complaint can not be alleged.
A husband who can read and write ana
determines to abandon his llliterate wife
abroad will find here under this law an
absolutely safe retreat The illiterate
relatives mentioned here must not only
be sent for but such immigrants must be
capable of supporting them when they
arrive. This requirement proceeds upon
the assumption that the foreign relatives
coming here are in every case by reason
of poverty liable to become q public
charge unless the immigrant is capable
of their support. The contrary is often
true And yet, if unable to read and
write though quite willing and able to
support themselves and their relatives
here besides, they could not be admitted
under the provisions of this bill if the i'm
migrant was impoverlshed though the
aid of his unfortunate and illiterate rela-
ives might be the means of saving him
from paunersm.
Prohibition Against Aliens.
The prohibition against the employment
of aliens on any public works OF the
United States is in line Wiz. legislation OF
| a like character When we consider the
provisions of the bill in connection with
our long northern frontier and the boun-
| daries of several of our states and terri
| tories often but imaginary lines separa t
| ing them from Canada, and recall the
| friendly intercourse between the people
| who are our neghbors on either side, the
provisions of this bill affecting them mus
| be regarded as illiberal, narrow and un-
| American. The residents Of these states
and territories have separa te and especia
/ interests which in many cases makes ar
| interchange of labor between their peoplt
and their alien III bOrers most important
frequently with the advantage largely il
favor OF our citizens. could hardly fail Il
| provoke retaiiatOfy measures TO the in
| jury of many of our citizens who are nov
| employed on adjoining foreign soil.
4 careful examination Of this bill ha
convinced me that for the reasons given
and others not specifically stated. its pro
visions are unnecessarily harsh and op
pressive. and that its defects in construc
ton would cause veXaticn and its opera
ton and its operation would result il
| harm to our citizens.
GKUN fE CLEVELAND
Executive Mansion, March 2, 1897.
o7ro0hf IrC1cI hTIlDr 10 MEAN