Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-01
immigration and the Philippines.

President Mckinley has taken pro-
nounccd and unequivocal position in favor
of the restriction of immigration. He ad-
vocated restrictive legislation in his in
auGural address and 1t is now asserted
that in his forthcoming message to Con-
gress he will urge the passage of the
Lodge bill This is ore of the important
measures which failed of passage at the
last session of Congress to the surprise
of many people. 1t is a mild measure
providing for an educational qualification
which would bar out from this country
only the most ignorant of foreigners. and
1t is not aimed at immigrants from Great
Britain and Ireland Germany or France.
but it would restrict the food of i'm
migration from Italy. Turkey and Russia
and other sections of Europe in which
ignorance predomnates.
1t will be remembered that this bill was
received with marked favor by the pub
lie as rule upon its presentation to
Congress. but its passage would have in
fiicted a serious loss upon the steamship
companies through the cutting off of n
large share of the transportation of i'm
+
lobby therefore did heroic work of some
kind or other and as result the Lodge
immigration bill failed to get through
Congress. President Mckinley is said to
have promised those who urge the re-
strction of immigration that his recon-
mendation in his message will be strong
and the prediction is accordingly made
ho udl 10 ha
Lodge bill and speedily make it a law, in
asmuch as many of those who opposed
the measure nave been defeated for re-
election and will have little interest in
further legislation.
Many of our leading public men as we'll
as students OF affairs generally have
reached the conclusion that this country
has already received all the foreign ele-
ments which it can wisely attempt to as.
simulate for a considerable period. and the
passage of some such measure as the
Lodge bill would meet their approval n,
well as receive the appreciation OF those
who favor protection to our present
labor interests. There is really little thai
can be said in opposition TO mildly
restrictive measure like the Lodge bill
and much that can be said in its favor
But II we have good and sufficient
grounds for Directing to the coming of q
few thousand ignorant immigrants tc
this country annually how can We justify
the project to make a part of our coun
try the Philippine islands with their al
most countless hordes of semi-civlizet
is made part of the United States il
will not only be impossible for US to ex
clude any of the people of those island,
from our pr sent boundaries, but OWNS
to the large number of Chinese and othe
undesirable elements of population IL
those islands at the present time we viii
also experience great difficulty in pre-
venting AsIatics from pouring into thi
country in large numbers via the Philip
pines owing to the impossibihty OF identi
ftcation.
1t will also be impossible for us to pro
tect our American labor from the com
petition of the products of the cooli
labor in the Philippines through tn
erection of a tariff barrier, and the labo
, interests of the United States will ha-'
far greater grounds for Directing I
Philippine annexation than to the i'm
, migration of ignorant foreigners from
Europe If we can not safely attempt t
assimilate additional European i'm
migrants coming to this country in SINAI
: groups how can We hope to safely take Il
at one guip 100000 or 100000 of PEG
pie more than half Of whom are savaxes
II there Is any argument against the per
mission OF miscellaneous immigration
from Europe which can not be urge
against the annexation Of the Filipinos
the people of this country would undoubt
edly be glad to see It presented In tn
. Presidents MESSAGE.