The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-01-20
A WRONG PRINCIPLE ALTOGETHER


Believing, as we do, that a proper
regulation of immigration is desirable
for all interests in this country and
that any other kind is bound to do
mischief we are compelled to hope
earnestly that the Lodge bill, which
passed the senate, may go to it's death
in the house. The fundamental prin-
ciple Of this bill is. altogether wrong,
and is another Illustration of the sur
vival of the New England idca-that
are heir may be cured by course of
public school or university education
The Lodge immigration bill Is, indeed,
a sort Of companion piece to the Blair
bill for national aid to education, which
was living and furious issue only
few years ago. Both of them assume
that political and industrial ills may
be cured by text book instruction, and
that ability to read and write is neces-
sarily an indication of good moral char
acter. We are rather surprised at the
persistence of this fallacy in a man
Of Mr.. Lodges requirements. It is
probably due largely to his environ
ment, for New England has not yet
the mind is a sovereign specific for ia
tai flaws in the individual character.
The test of literacy is one wholly i'm
proper to be applied to the determine
ton Of whom we should admit and
whom exclude from admission to a
share In our rights, privileges and
duties. It has been demonstrated over
and over again in our domestic expert
ence that our foreign population as a
whole is not only not a menace to good
government, but has very frequently
acted as a conservative force to resist
the wild theories that spun themselves
into being in the brain Of the native
American who had enjoyed all the ad-
vantages Of a common school educa-
ton. AS far as those evils are con-
cerned that are so potent In politics
today-namely, the subordination of
patriotism and duty to corruption and
commercialism-we do not find that
education is in the slightest degree a
safeguard. On the contrary, it is edu-
Gated men principally who are behind
the schemes with which legislatures
are flooded, and in whose interest con-
crosses are bribed. 1t is still we'll for
us that there should be added to our
population the capable. the honest, the
to us from the old world. Upon hon
est industry, bent upon increasing the
national product of wealth and content
with it's fair portion, our progress and
our future success are founded The
nation is bettered whenever men and
women Of this idea of life are added
to it's numbers. That portion of our
population drawn from abroad which
is really inimical to the interests of
our own people consists not of the I'M
educated, but Of the criminal, the vi
cious and the dependent classes. It is
these that fill asylums and crowd into
the slums Of our great cities It is
these that other nations have been en-
gagged in thrusting upon US, that they
might themselves get rid Of an unde-
sirable element In their population.
Practical experience, therefore.
shows what sort of test should be
applied in a restriction of immigra-
ton. Those who are shut out should
be the classes that we have named. The
requirement for entrance at a port of
the United States should not be ability
to read or write, but certificate of
good moral character and positive evil
dence that the individual desiring to
cast in his let with us will not become
a charge upon the community. 1t is
against dependence and against crime
that we should erect barriers. For this
purpose the rule limiting admission to
those who are able to read and write
is absolutely worthless. Through the
meshes of that net may come the pau
per and the convict, while it may
catch and shut away thousands Of