The Irish standard., 1903-12-12

WASHINGTON LETTER.

Washington, December 1O.-Senator
Lodge is again OH deck with his bill
ITO regulate immigration of aliens in
to the United States" All kinds of
provisions to attain this end have at
various times been proposed. Among
them the property qualification, and,
later on. the educational qualification
have found some favor. but at no
time sufficient support to assure their
passage. But Senator Lodge is per-
sistcnt and proposes to try again. His
bill really should bear the title: A
bill to exclude Catholics from the
United States, for that is his inten-
ton. The ignorant foreign labor so
much talked about in this country is
badly needed here, for the Poles, Hun
garians and Italians who are included
in that category, are ready to shoulder
shovel and pick and do the hard man.
uMl labor in the mines. the fields and
OIL the railroads. labor to which our
American boys. the product of the
public school. could hardly be recon-
ciled. In the senator's own state Ital-
ians in considerable numbers are talk
ing up the work of retaining the
abandoned farms. and are turning the
stony inheritance of Yankees into
veritable garden spot. This would
be most pleasing under ordinary cir
cumstances. but these Italians are
Catholics, and their arrival in con-
stantly increasing numbers adds large
ly to the danger" of Massachusetts,
having majority of Catholics when
the next census is taken. Such a
calamity must be avoided, and the
senator is therefor toiling and schem-
ing to keep them out of the country.
Later on. when it is printed and
the unavoidable amendments have
been added."I shall furnish synopsis
of this remarkable bill.
In the examination for second lieu
tenancies in the volunteer army in
the Philippines and elsewhere.
great number Of failures were record
ed. n large majority of these young
men were fresh from reputable col
leges. They came from the junior and
senior classes. stood we'll according to
the school rating and We're supposed
to have good and useful educations.
Yet more than half of them failed
under the test prescribed by the war
department. There are scores of
them,-bright young fellows. manly,
excellent material, full of ambition
and patriotism. who would make good
soldiers and serve their country use
fully. They go before board, are
subjected to an examination of the
most elementary description-and fail.
Here is a list of the points upon
which these applicants were examined
General Army Order No. 80:
1. Grammar. and his ability to read,
write, and spell with facility and cor
rectness.
2. In his knowledge of arithmetic,
and his ability to apply it's rules to
all practical questions; in his knowl-
edge of the use of logarithms, and
ability to apply them to questions of
practice: in his knowledge of algebra
and geometry, and the elements of sur
vcying.
8. In his knowledge of geography,
i particularly in reference to the north
crn continent of America.
1. In his knowledge of the outlines
of general history, and particularly
! the history of his own country.
| ;. In his knowledge of the conStitu-
!, ton of the United States and the
| organization of the government under
| it. and the elements of International
| law.
| 1t is really strange that Il youth who
| leaves the senior class of any college
Dc " IL test SO
simple as this. If the colleges do
not teach these things. what in. the
name of common sense. do they teach?
What are our boys learning as the
result of three or four years of COL
lege education. if they cannot pass
an examination which seems more
like preparation for college than
a measure of it's perfected fruit?
Something must be very awry with
the college curriculum or it's system
Of imparting information if UNDER
graduates go down in battalions before
so amiable and light battery of in
QUESTION as is found in General Order
No. So. 1t would SOON, indeed, in
the light of his experience. that the
college. like the public school. carries
its curriculum far beyond the essen
tial, practical and useful branches Of
knowledge. AS to our Catholic col
leges, let them profit by these exam
pies.