The Washington herald., 1907-02-15
ALIEN BILL OPPOSED
Senate Democrats Conduct
FilibuSter Against 1t.
JAPANESE ITEM IS ATTACKED
TiIIman Makes Point That IL Is New
Liquidation, which Vice President
Declines TO Entertain-WhOie Mat
ter Goes over to TO-day-Suc-
cess Is Expected Ultimately.

I
Democratic Senators manifested their
opposition TO certain features Of the con-
| ference report on the immigration bill
yesterday by conducting hlibusteT
which consumed the greater part Of the
! session. Senator Bacon finally secured
the floor, and was prepared to talk inded-
nitely, apparently, when Senator Spooner
suggested that the whole matter go over
until to-day and the Senate decided that
/ that was the proper thing to do.
| The Democrats are not satisfied with
| the amendment which is expected 20 solve
| the japanese problem by giving the Pres
ident authority 10 prohibit the entry OF
! persons whose presence here would be
/ detrimental to labor conditions" 1t is
another illustration. they assert, OF the
/ present tendency Of the dominant party
to clothe the Executive with powers
/ which rightfully belong 10 the legislative
/ branch OF the government. and Of the
/ general trend toward Capitalization which
members of both parties have inveighed
against this winter. A point of order
/ was made against the amendment but
/ waE not entertained.
/ Flu. thermore, some Of the Democrats do
| not look with favor on the restrictions put
upon the immigration Of alien contract la
+ Dor IN the conference report. Several Of
/ the Southern States have been making
| especial efforts the last few years to in
duce the immigration Of laborers for field
/ and factory-n0t in violation Of law. but
! legally, and with the sole view Of building
! up their waste places. Il is cOnteEdeC
/ that the immigration Dill, as agreed on by
the conferees. would seriously interfere
with this class Of immigration.
Object TO Undue Haste.
Finally. the minority objects vigorously
/ 10 what seems TO its members 10 be IN
/ due haste in rushing through the confer
/ ence report on a bill which has been in
/ conference a year, and which has never
/ inspired haste before. II it were not fOl
! the amendment covering the japanese
case. which some Of the Democrats refer
/ 10 as a means OF getting the President
! out of a hole. they contend that there
would have been no effort 20 press Tho
/ conference report so insistently. Several
/ prominent Democrats said priately dur.
\ ing the afternoon that they had had no
/ opportunity even to read the report. and
/ they declared emphaticallv that they
/ would not consent to its acceptance until
/ they had acquainted themselves with its
7 features.
/ When Senator Dillingham;. chairman OF
/ the Immigration Committee, called uY
I -.
Senate agree 20 a vote before adiournmen,
/ to-day, the opposition manifested itself
/ Senator Tillman said be hoped the matter
might go over until Senators had time
/ TO study the bilL He was not ready to
! consent to d day for "a vote until he had
/ considered it. Mr. Dillingham; then pro-
4 posed that the consideration proceed to-
/ day, and that the vote take place by
/ agreement tomorrow. Again Mr.. Tillman
/ objected
! Then III press for the immediate con
/ sideratiOn Of the bill, said Air. Dilling-
/ ham.
There was a look Of determination in
/ Mr. Humans eye as he warned tie Yer
/ mont Senator that nothing would De
/ gained by an attempt 10 dragon the
| Senate He characterized the work of
the conferees on the bill as extraordinary
| declaring that they had brought in new
/ legislation on a conference report by add
/ ing the Japanese passport amendment
and he made a point of order against il.
/ Senator Lodge pointed out that under
/ Senate procedure. point Of order would
| not hold against conference report
Point Not Entertained.
! Vice President Fairbanks overruled the
point of order. which moved Senator Mel
/
! chair was in error in overruling the point,
/ he should have merely refused to enter
/ tain it. The Vice President explained that
/ such was the effect OF the ruling
/ Having lost the preliminary parliamen-
tary battle. Senator TiIlman called to his
/ aid Senator Bacon. of Georgia. who began
a speech that promised no end He read
reports without number, and they seemed
| long and dreary; he talked leisUrely and
/ seemed not TO tire.
Mr.. Lodge and Mr.. Dillingham; anxiously
conferred. Finally. at a suggestion from
Mr.. Lodge that Mr.. Bacon's remarks were
diIatOry. Mr. Tnlmsn warned the Repub-
lican Senators that they would nevee
reach a vote on the bill by running il
/ over us like an automobile"
/ Senator Spooner poured oil on the
troubled waters by a suggestion that Mr..
Dillingham; permit the bill TO go over
until to-day. TO which the Vermont Sen
ator agreed. Mr.. Tillman marched out
with a CLEAN of triumph in his eve. and
MIR Bacon said With a smile that he was
reluctant to discontinue his speech. as
there was much more of it. which he
| asked leave to extend in the Record.
! Despite the opposition, the opinion pre-
walls that the conference report viii be
adopted. and the bill. including the Japa-
! nese amendment, will be passed