The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-14
BILL WILL EXCLUDE
JAPANESE COOLIES
Conferees Agree on Amendment
to immigration Measure
CALIFORNIANS DEMAND IT
Exclusion of Foreigners Who Use
Passports to Secure Admission
In United States to Detri-
ment of Labor.
CALIFORNIANS DEMAND IT

Washington, February 1S.-Exclusion of
foreigners who use their passports to
!, secure admission to the United States to
the detrment of labor conditions in this
country is provided for by an amendment
to the immigration bill agreed on by the
conferees of the Senate and House to-
day and reported to Congress. The
; amendment is the result of the demand
from the Pacific coast states for the ex-
clusion of Japanese coolies, and it is un-
derstood that it will aid in securing an
understanding between the administra-
tion and the San Francisco delegation
now in Washington comforting with Pres
ident Roosevelt The provision agreed ON
is as follows:
THAT whenever the President shall be
satisfied that passports issued by any
foreign government to its citizen to go
to any country, other than the United
States or to any insular possession of
the United States or to the canal zone,
are being used for the purpose of en-
abling the holders to come to the con-
tinental territory of the United States to
the detriment of labor conditions therein,
the President may refuse to permit such
citizens of the country issuing such pass
ports to enter the continental territory of
the United States from such other coun-
try or from such insular possessions or
from the canal zone"
The immigration bill has been in con-
ference 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 differences
We're in relation to the proposed educa-
tional test for immigrants and the pro-
vision that persons coming to this coun-
try solely to avoid persecution or punish
ment on religious or political grouns,
shall not be deported because of want
of means with the probability of being
unable to earn a livelihood. Both Of
the provisions were eliminated.
An immigration bill having passed both
houses last session of Congress offered
the best opportunity for legislation look
ing to exclusion of undesirable classes
in that the adoption of the conference
reports on the immigration bill is all that
1t required to make the provision effec-
tive.
Under the agreement of the conferees
the head tax on aliens was fixed at 81, q
compromise between the House provision
of 81 and the Senate provision of %.
The Senate provision exempting from
payment of head tax people who have
resided in Canada, Newfoundland, Cuba or
Mexico for one year was retained. The
conferees retained also the House pro-
vision exempting from the payment of
the head tax persons 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
tl,a 20
included the Philippines in this provis-
ion, but the conferees made an excep-
ton of those islands. new feature
added to the measure proposes to amend
the navigation laws relating to the car
riage of passengers by sea by increasing
the air space allowed to each Immigrant
passenger. or cabin passenger. The
amendment agreed upon provides for air
space as follows:
On main deck or deck next below the
main deck eighteen clear superficial feet
of deck and on the second deck below
the main deck. twenty clear superficial
feet for each passenger.
The report was laid before the Senate
by Senator Dillingham;. chairman OF the
Senate committee on immigration. OBJ
lection was made to its immediate con-
sideration, and it went over until to-
morrow.
Senator Dillingham; explained some Of
| the features or the compromise. saying
among other things that n commission Is
| provided to go into the whole question of
| immigration and report to some subse-
quent Congress.
The commission is to consist of three
members of the Senate. three members of
| the House and three persons to be ap-
pointed by the President.
The President is given authority to en-
! ter into negotiations with any country
| for the regulation of the immigration be-
tween the United States and that coun-
| try.