The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-12-04
THE lNTELLlGENCER.
WHEELING, DECEMBER 4, 1867.


A Separate Immigration BIZ,
One Of the Important questions that
wi come before Congress this winter
will he the immigration restriction bill,
which passed both houses of Congress at
the last regular session and was vetoed
by President Cleveland, The bill con-
tanned two main provisions which have
been demanded by the country for some
years past. The first was the exclusion
of illiterate immigrants from this coun-
try; second, an amendment making It
unlawful for aliens, not intending to be-
come citizens, to work in The United
States and to return home from time to
time.
The national immigration Restriction
League has issued circular in Which it
urges that in the reconsideration OF the
matter this year the two provisions
should be taken up separately by Con-
gresS in order that one Shall not endan-
ger the passage of the other, The league
makes the point that clearly the two pro-
visions are not necessarily parts of the
same bill. 1.-THE one" says the circular,
Seeks by simple educational test to
raise the standards of immigrants, maxi
Ing them more generally 1T for citizen
ship in this republic. The other is aimed
at certain Canadian workmen, who have
worked by day In this country, notably
at Detroit, and returned into Canada at
night, ana also at Italians, and other
birds of passage as the workirgmen
who enter this country one or more times
for temporary residence, are called"
The league points out the special rea-
sons why these two provisions should be
incorporated in separate bills, One is
that the exodus Of our own citizens to the
Klontlke. and across the northwestern
border line, intending to remain temper
arlly, makes legislation calculated TO
prevent the temporary sojourn Of Cana
dian labor in this country an unwise and
unnecessary complication. Another rea-
son Is that there are number OF ques-
tons at issue between the United States
and Canadian governments, such a. the
fisheries, seals and reciprocity matters,
which might be complicated by a law
directed agains. Canadian labor, and It
may be deemed hes. to postpone such
legislation or cmoody It in a separate
measure.
It can readily be seen that the remedial
legislation touching the immigration
question can thus be mad without max
ing the fate OF one feature of the bill
vetoed by President Cleveland dependent
on the fate OF the otnet The following
extract from the leagues circular sug-
gestlng tins course fully explains the de-
STABILITY OF It:
The educational test stands out az an
urgent necessity; for good government,
In this country rests upon intelligence;
and the prosperity Of working people
here depends upon the standards OF liv-
Ing among the newcomers. with whom
they are brought into comps ti.ion. II 10
inappropriate to measure this question
in terms Of production. It IS n question
OF human character, and. IN the great Ell
fort for self-gOvernment undertaken by
the people Of this country, It is altogether
unfortunate that foreigners should be
introduced into the land VINO do not un-
derstand out institutions and who are
applicants for work at wages sati5fac-
tory perhaps to employers but which are
grave menace to other worlmen, who
have hoped 10 procure more OF the decen-
cas Of life.
That immigrants into this country o.
free Institutions shall be able TO read ana
write, IS Il matter Of universal import
ance to the people Of this country. II
would be unfortunate " this restriction
should be so linked with one Of compniu-
lively local APPLICATION, howyeer good u
may seem IN Itself to many persons. that
the educational teet should again fall to
become the law OF the land.
There Is no opposition In this sugges.
don to the proposition 10 prohibit the
birds of passage" from crowdlng out
our own American aud nnturalz:d
American labor. on the contrary. the
immigration Restriction League ayows
that It fayor5 any proper mode OF re.
strlctlon, but It opposes tho annhSnE Of
any amendments to ths "plaln, clmple
and lust educational ta8t tll which may
iniurc ths prospects OF lu pasilg,," T1is
seems to be a reasonable proposition,
providing the other bit is not i5at oiEht
W. Tho educational tost bin would
however have The double effect Of not
only requiring q higher r,eudird Of I'M.
migration, but of accomplishing mush In
the way Of keeping on. cheap laborcr
described az birds OF passage" encc
hey, az rule. could not Pass tha ela.
catIonal test