The herald., 1897-03-03

dHlonb Jul pcopic, IL must Dc cOnceQtC
to be result of phenomenal business
depression and the stagnation of all
enterprises in which labor is a factor
| With the advent of settled and whole
some financial and economic govern
( mental policiek and a consequent, en-
! couragement to the activity of capital,
! the misfortune of unemployed labor
f! should to a great extent at least, be rem
| edied 1t is continues its natural con-
| sequences must be to check the future
! Immigration to our cities of foreign la
borers and to deplete the ranks Of those
/ already here In the meantime the
1 most willing and best entitled ought to
| be able to secure the advantages of such
| work as there is to do.
| 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 for
eigner to make his home with us shall be
| determined. Its general scheme lis to
prohibit from admission to our country
| all immigrants physically capable ana
| over sixteen year old. who can read ano
write the English language or some
other language" and it is provided this
test shall be applied by requiring imml
| grants seeking admission to read and af-
| terwards to write not less than twenty
nor more than twenty-five words of the
constitution of the United States in
some language, and that any immigrant
failing in this shall not be admitted bus
shall be returned to the country from
which he came at the expense of the
steamship or railway company whicn
brought him. The best reason that
could be given for this radical restriction
Of immigration Is the necessity OF pro-
tecting our population against degener-
alton and saving our national peace ami
quiet from imported turbulence and dis
order. / cannot believe we would be
protected against these evils by limiting
immigration to those who can read ana
write in any language twenty-five words
of our constitution. In my opinion II Is
infinitely more safe to admit 100000 I'M
migrants who, though unable to read
and write seek among us only honie
and an opportunity to work, than to ad-
NIT one of those unruly agitators and
enemies of governmental control VINO
can not only read and write but delighT
in arousing by inflammatory speech the
iiliterate and peacefully inclined to dis
content and tumult.
Violence and disorder do not'originate
with illiterate laborers. They are rather
the victims of the educated agitators
The ability to read and write, as re-
ouired in this BILL of itself affords, in
my opinion, a misleading test OF con-
tented industry and supplies unsatis-
factory evidence of desirable citizenship,
of proper apprehension Of the Dement'S
of our institutions. If any particular
element of our illiterate immigration Is
to be feared for other causes than init
eracy, the causes ehould be dealt. with
directly instead of making iilitsrae+
the pretext of exclusion, to the detri-
ment of other illiterate immigrants,
against whom the real cause or COM
plaint cannot be alleged.
The provisions intended to rid that
part of the proposed legislation already
referred to from obvious hardship ap-
pear to me be indefinite and inadequate.
A parent, grandparent, wife or minor
children of qualified immigrant,
though unable to read and write. may
accompany the immigrant or be sent to
join his family, provided the immigrant
is capable of supporting such relative.
These exceptions to the general rule OF
exclusion contained in the bill were
made to prevent the separation OF ram
lilies, and yet neither brothers or 9isters
are provided for In order that rela-
tives who are provided for may De re-
united, those still in foreign lands must
be sent for to join the immigrant here.
What formality is necessary to con-
stitute this prerequisite and how are
the facts of relationship and that the
relative is sent for to be established!
Are the illiterate relatives OF immi-
grants who have come under prior laws
entitled to the advantage of those ex-
ceptions? A husband who can read and
writes and determines to abandon his
illfterate wife abroad Will find here
under this law an absolutely safe re-
treat The iliterate relatives mentioned
here must not only be sent for, but such
immigrants must be capable of sup
porting them when they arrive. This
requirement proceeds upon the as
sumption that the foreign relatives
coming here and in every case by rea-
son of poverty are liable to become
public charge unless te immigrant is
capable of supporting tehm. The con-
trary is often true.
And vet. If unable to read and write,
though quite willing and able to support
themselves and their relatives besides,
they could not be admitted under the
provisions of this bill If the immigrant
was impoverished, though the aid of his
fortunate but illiterate relatives might
be the means of saving him from pau
perism.
The fourth section of this bill provides
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 citizen of
the United States to be employed on any
public works Of the United States or to
come regularly or habtually into the
United States by land or water for the
purpose of engaging in any mechanical
trade or manual labor for wages or sal
ary, returning from time to time to
foreign country"
The fifth section provides that "it
shall be unlawful for any person, part
nership, company or Incorporation know
ingly to employ any alien coming into
the United States in violation of the
prohibition against the employment of
aliens on any public works of the United
States Is in line with other legislation
of like character 1t is quite different
thing, however, to declare it a crime for
an alien to come regularly and habit
ually in the United States for the pur-
pose of obtaining work from private
parties, If such alien returns from time
tc time foreign country and to con-
stitute any employment of such alien
a criminal offense. When>we consider
these provisions of the bill in connec.
tion with our long northern frontier and
the boundaries of several of our states
and territories, often but boundary
line separating them from the British
dominions, and recall the friendly inter-
course between the people who are
neigbors 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 ter
ritorles have separate and especial in
terests, which in many cases make an
Of labor between their peo-
rle and their alien labOrers most impor-