The sun., 1903-11-23
MIR. oLEvELANDs VETO or 1897.
How Far Il tho Measure OF nliteracy
Measure Of Crimef

To THE EprroR OF The suN-Sr: In view
of the resurrection Of the Lodge bill for the
restriction of immigration by the IMPOSE
tion Of a so-called educational test. iHh
Sun appropriately recalls the veto OF fres'-
dent Cleveland seven years ago. ne TO.
fused to approve like bill on the sumcieht
ground that II was an unwarranteu anu
radical departure from our estapiisheo ma
tional policy and that 1t set up measure
OF desirability that was incorrect ana uh-
satisfactory. >.
This jud dgment may be overridden. as IL
was by q vote Of the House Of Representa-
tives. 1t cannot be confuted; as II ID Simple
statement Of fact. This seems pract'cahy
unimportant, however. In view OF announcer
fact-the insistent advocacy of this test py
the American Federation OF Labor.
The proposed inclusion OF such test was
fully discussed by the House Committee on
Immigration and Naturalization. before re-
porting It's bill in the last Congress (H. H..
l2ieo). The committee determined to leave
the test out and the bill was reported without
II. After a very brief debate the test was
put back In the consideration OF the bill in
committee Of the whole. through the amend
ment offered by Mr. Underwood Of Alabama.
What convincing argument ehiorceo 'h's
The bare reading Of letter from President
sSsndsa samddsa dSSpssE Sy pss
fails to show any other consideration of con-
sequence for the overruling OF the determine a.
Ths amount Of attention accorded TO this
reversal OF our national policy Is 81 significantly
marked also by the fact that the vote Of
eiRhty-six Representatives affixed this
How much the same mandatory syr,dsnea letter
SsSaa.s sen ths "ss
reluctantly Withdrawn by Senator, Lodge
il View the certainty q some y y9nbSendainS ISa
81 he eses
an Insignificant minority, might then block
any bill. and TO save the balance OF the Pro
IN ' the Act iM Of March 5, zoos. the educational
''9N Now it Il Is started gain at the first oppor-
tunity to run alone from the opening Of the
present Congress and u is hoped that t re- re-
newed warning from the Federation OF LaDor
It Is true that there is apparently still work
Ing room for immigrants In this country.
Ism bs1 S. ReH s popa e
istlon Of Belgium; but what Of that, II there
i: no not usslIbo01y room enough for dominant
Gti Il is true that every able bodied immigrant
country. increasing. our productive power
shat snu Gfn:udl Il domlnant labor union maintains
that demand for labor is limited - or shoSald hoy
b; and .tfs1.s that an Immigrant is a soao and a
proposed II to out down immigration under
immi grants. No preteIt Is offered for It
which has not been conclusiyell}y refuted: II ed.
The Of a iatsTsSd applsea to she
ure OF orlme.' The Southern, Latin races
can be converted into good Americans as
we'll as the Anglo-Saxon.
The con gestion of the slums is not an argu-
ment for the exclusion OF the d9w q labor.
The test is not q test OF education In the true,
broad sense OF the term. the drawing out Of
faculty, Of capacity for useful service, but Of
imml grafton Il is only whim of literary
dllettanteism, as wss accurately obssIved served
Association OF .New York. Samuel ]. Bar
rows.
The really grave question Is not whether
and tho national welfare but whether the
Federation OF Labor can push II through
and the national welfare. FREEMAN.
NEW YORK, Nov. a.