Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-13
ACTION NOW EXPECTED
Believed That immigration bn
Will Pass.
SPEAKER SEES PRESIDENT
Going Over the Congressional Situa-
ton.
NEW SANTo DOMINGO TREATY
Administration Encouraged to Be-
lieve Important Measure Will
Receive Consideration.
SPEAKER SEES PRESIDENT
NEW sANTo DOMINGO TREATY

Secretary Root was in conference with the
President this morning, and the fact that
Speaker Cannon and Secretary Taft were
also at the White House at about the same
time led to the belief that the President
was canvassing in a preliminary fashion
the congressional situation so far as that
relates to the execution of the program that
was arranged yesterday providing for
settlement of the Japanese immigration and
school questions.
Although it had been commonly supposed
that the eonferees on the immigration bill
would not be able to reach any agreement
at the present session of Congress-. the fact
that the administration has chosen that
measure as the vehicle for the carriage of
the amendment which is intended to ex-
clude Japanese coolie labor from entrance to
this country is evidence that. in the
opinion of congressional leaders, the meas
ure is far from defunct. In fact, 1t is now
known that the inquiries made at the in
stance of the President to the pros
poets of this immigration bill rather confirm
the officials in their opinion that it will
emerge from conference and be finally acted
upon before March 4.
The Dominican Treaty.
Similar soundings have been taken to
Tie VI ldNO.dDle dtl.Ol Oil thC
part of the Senate upon the new Dominican
treaty. which was yesterday transmitted to
that body by the President. The result
has been to encourage the admin stration
in the belief that that Important measure,
too. is likely to receive consideration m the
executive sessions of the Senate. notwith-
standing the limited time remaining be-
tween now and final adjournment, and as
Secretary Root feels that he has removed
the objections to the old treaty which
LII IT.,
tion of it. there is every reason to expect
that the new convention will secure the
necessary two-thirds vote and be ap-
proved.
Fight Over immigration Bill.
The immigration bill has been in confer
ence since last session of Congress. and
there has been grave doubt as to whether
an agreement could be reached at all. The
principal points of difference were in rela-
ton to the proposed educational test for
Immigrants and the provision that persons
coming to this country solely to avoid per-
-secution or punishment religious or
political grounds shall not be deported be-
cause of want of means or the probability
OF being unable to earn livelihood. Both
Of the provisions were eliminated. 1t Is be-
lieved that had 1t not been Tor the neces-
sity of some legislation looking to the ex-
clusion of foreigners deemed a menace to
labor there could have been no agreement
these propositions. The immigration
bill having passed both houses last session
Of Congress offered the best opportunity
for Legislation looking to exclusion of I'M
desirable classes in that the adoption of the
conference report on the immigration b IL
is all that is required to make the provision
effective.
Agreement of Conferees.
Under the agreement of the conference
the head tax on aliens was fixed at 81
compromise between the House provision of
81 and the Senate provision of So The Sen
ate provision exempting from payment of
head tax persons who have resided in
Canada, Newfoundland. Cuba or Mexico,
for one year. was retained. The conferees
retained also the House provision exempt
Ing from the payment of the head tax per-
sons arriving in Guam, Porto Rico or the
Hawaiian Islands. but this does not permit
such persons later to migrate to the United
States and avoid paying the head tax. The
House had included the Philippines In this
provision but the cOnferees made an ex-
cepton of those islands. There were few
other points in dispute between the con-
ference committee and there diff
Guilty in reaching agreement on other
features of the bill.
A new feature added to the measure pro-
poses to amend the navigation laws relating
TO the carriage of passengers by sea by
immigrant passenger or passengers other
than cabin passengers. The amendment
agreed upon pI,tides for air space as fol-
lows: On mai deck, or deck next below
the main deck. eighteen clear, superficial
feet of deck. and on the second deck be-
low the main deck. twenty clear. superficial
feet of deck for each passenger