Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-03-04
VETOED BY CLEVELAND.
The President Refuses to Sign the
immigration Bill.
DECLARES IT TO BE UE-AMER1oAr.
But the House Passes the Bill Over tine
Veto by the Overwhelming Vote Of 1913
to 37-House Concurs In Senate Armor
Plate Amendment to Naval Bill.

But the House Passes the Bill Over the
Veto by the Overwhelming Vote Of 1893
to 37-House Concurs in Senate Armor
Plate Amendment to Naval Bill.
last night sent to the house Of repre-
sentatives message vetoing the i'm
migration btll. The principal points of
the message are as follows:
"A radical departure from our nat
ural 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. A century's stupendous
growth. largely due to the assimilation
and thift of millions of sturdy and pa
triotic adopted citizens, attests the sue
cess of this generous and free handed
policy.
1T is said that the quality of recent
immigration is undesirable. The time
Is quite within recent memory when
the same thing was said of immigrants
who. with their descendants, are now
numbered among our best citizens.
ut is said that too many immigrants
settle in our cities, thus dangerously
increasing their idle and vicious popu-
lation. This is certainly disadvan-
tage. 1t cannot be shown, however,
that 1t affects all our cities, nor that
1t Is permanent; nor does it appear
that this condition, where it exists, de-
mands as its remedy the reversal of
our present immigration policy.
THE claim is also made that the in
fiux 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
So far as this condition now exists
among our people, it must be conceded
to be result of phenomenal business
depression. With the advent of set
tied and wholesome financial and eco
nomic governmental policies, and a
consequent encouragement to the ac-
tivity of capital, the misfortunes of
unemployed labor should to a great
extent at least be remedied In the
meantime those most willing and best
entitled ought to be able to secure the
advantages of such work as there is to
do.
Il cannot believe that we would be
protected against these evils by limit
ing immigration to those who can read
and write in any language twenty-five
words of our constitution. In my opin-
ion it is infinitely more safe to admit
a hundred thousand immigrants who,
though unable to read and write seek
among us only home and opportunity
to work, than to admit one of those I'M
ruly agitators and enemies of govern
mental control who can not only read
and write, but delights in arousing by
infiammatory speech the illiterate and
peacefully inclined to discomfort and
tumult.
violence and disorder do not origi-
nate with illiterate laborers. They are
the victims of the educated agitator.
The ability to read and write affords,
In my opinion, a misleading test of
contented industry and supplies unsat-
isfactory evidence of desirable citizen
ship or proper appreciation of the
benefits of our institutions.
The prohibition against the employ
ment of aliens upon any public works
of the United States is in line with
other legislation of a like character.
It is quite different thing, however,
to declare it a crime for an alien to
come regularly and habitually into the
United States for the purpose of OBJ
tanning work from private parties, if
such alien returns from time to time
to foreign country, and to constitute
any employment of such alien crini-
nal offence.
When we consider these provisions of
the bill In connection with our long
northern frontier, and recall the
friendly intercourse between the peo-
pie who are neighbors on the other
side, the provisions of this bill affect
ing them must be regarded as illiberal,
narrow and un-American. Such I'M
friendly legislation could hardly fail
to provoke retaliatory measures, to the
injury of many of our citizens who
now find employment on adjoining for
eign SOIL"