The Portland daily press., 1897-02-01


testing the ability Of the Immigrant.
SEQ. 4. That it shall hereafter be IN
lawful for any male alien, who has not
in good faith made his declaration before
fine nroner court of his intention TO be-
come citizen of 1.-THE United States. TO
he employed on any public works of the
United States, or to come regularly or
habitually intosthe CnitedsStates byfland
or water for the purpose of engaging in
any mechanical trade or manual labor,
for wages or salary, returning from time
to time to foreign country.
Sec. g. That it shall be unlawful for
any person. partnership, company, or
corporation knowingly to employ any
alien coming into the UNITED States in
violation Of the nezt preceding section of
this Act: Provided, That the provisions
of this Act shall not apply TO the employ
m ent OF sailors, deck hands, or other en-
ployeesof vessels, Or railroad train hands,
such as conductors, engineers, brakemen,
iiremen, or baggagemen, whose dnties
require them to pass over the frontier to
reach the termini of their runs, or TO
boatmen or guides on the lakes and rivers
orEthe northern border of the United
States.
Sec. 6. That anv violation OF the pro-
visions of sections four and five of this
Act by any alien or citizen shall be
deemed misdemeauOr, punishable by a
ire net exceeding five hundred dollars
or by imprisonment for the term of not
exceeding one year, or by both such fine
and imprisonment, in the discretion of
the court: Provided, That all persons
convicted of violation of section four of
this Act shall be deported to the country
whence they came.
SEQ. Z. That Notwithstanding the
provisions of this or any other existing
law, the Secretary of the Treasury may
permit aliens to enter this country for
the purpose of teaching pew arts or in
dustries under such rules and regulations
as he may provide.
Sac. 8. That this Act shall not apply
to persons arriving in the United States
from any port or place in the Island OF
Cuba, during the continuance of the
present disorders there, who have here
tofnre bear inhabitants of the island.
Ser. 9. That any alien who shall, in
violation Oh this Act, or any other exist
ing law, secure entry into the United
States without inspection or examina-
ton. or through mistake, lEisrepresenta-
ton. collision, deception, or fraud, may
be taken irto custody by the pronerly
authorized immigratior office within
thirty DAYS after the facts become known
to them; ard such alien, upon special
inquiry at the most convenient place,
conducted according to section five OF the
1lNInlQrhGlUu k1CU VI IlbfCH zig Ii
teen hundred and uinety-three, shall be
dealt with rs provide by law for alien
immigrants upon their first arrival.
Sec 10. That this Act shall take effect
July first, eighteen hundred and ninety
seven.
This conference report was adopted by
the House by vote of l31 to III. 1T now
remains for the Senate to adopt the re-
port and for thePresident to sign tho bill.
IF III. the law will
stand in the form reported by the con-
ference committee.
The debate was interesting in many
respects. The mem bers of the House
who are earnestly in favor of restricting
immigration generally favored the con-
ference committees bill, although they
would have preferred the House bill.
Those who are not in favor of restriction
or are in favor of very slight restriction.
were against the conference report.
Strong opposition came from foreign
horn members of the HOnse. Richard
Bartholdt, of Missouri, native OF Ger
many, an educated man, journalist by
profession led the opponents. lie wa
seconded by Charles y. Buck, of New
Orleans, native of the Grand Duohy of
Baden, whose father was one of the reyo-
lutionists of 1848, and fled TO America.
These men were strongly supported by
Parker of New jersey, Walker of Massa-
ohusetts, Cannon of Illinois, Grosvenor Of
Ohio and others. All of these are not
opposed to restriction absolutely. Mr..
Cannon at least voted for the House bill.
Gen. Grosvenor was in much the same
position The objection being generally
as to details and not to general principles
the friends Of the conference bill were
enabled to carry it, mastering STRONG
support on both Republican and Demo
cratic sides.
in it's deliberations on this subject by the
following statement of the percentage OF
illitsrates in the total immigration from
each Of the following countries: