The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-06-04
MURPHY MAKES
ATTITUDE CLEAR
TO GERMANS HERE
Former Governor Writes Full
Reply to Criticisms of Speech
Made Months Ago.

Former Governor Franklin Murphy's
reply to the recent structures of the
German-American Alliance of New Jer-
sey Conference of Charities and Correc-
tons, in which he is supposed to have
reflected upon the Germans. rs immi-
grants. has been made public. Portions
of 1t found their way into print some
time ago.
This Is the letter as addressed to
Ernest Germann, of Elizabeth, secre-
tary of the alliance:
Dear Sir: l received your letter OF
RESOLUTIONS passed by the German.
American Alliance, just as / was leay-
ing home. for a brief absence, from
which I have just returned.
Il sincerely regret to have met with
the disapproval of my German friends,
who, IL they do not agree with all /
said, would, / am confident, indorse the
object / had in view
My address before the New Jersey
Conference of Charities and Corrections
was on the prevention of crime. and /
quoted some statistics going to show
that Of those in our PRISONS n re-
a majority were immigrants
of the first and second generations. If
that Is true / think 1t is on account of
tneir ignorance OF their lnaDitiLy TO
care for themselves, or because of the
large number of the criminal classes
of Europe who have come into our
country In spite of that section of our
law which excludes the latter class.
II think our first duty is to protect
our own Intelligent. Industrious. law
abiding people. / would admit all who
could properly join those classes. There
is room for them and there always win
be room for them, but / would exclude
every man. from whatever country he
might come. who would reduce the
standard of American ~citizenship. or
whose coming should help to reduce
American wages. And, above all, I
would exclude all who would become
almost at once a burden on he com
munity, for the industrious already here
to support. h present law contem-
plates doing this, but under its adj
mfnistratfon Is not enforced.
The German-America1 Alliance must
surely know great masses Of ignorant
vicious people, not In sympathy with our
institutions, who do not make and win not
make good citizens. and who do not care to.
are arriving constantly on our shores. They
work, II they work at all, for low wages
coming directly into competition with our
own labor.
vicious are excluded. II each immigrant
is required to have a certain sum-whether
1t he s25 or 500. whether this sum should
be paid to the government as a tax. or
whether the immigrant should be allowed
to retain 1t, is perhaps not a matter Of
importance-it. IN either event. is an evil
dence OF thrift and the ability of the
man to AXE care Of himself. He should
be required TO read and write his own lam
grage Il said In my speech. the English
ianguage'). l have com to the conclusion,
on further reflection. that that would be
grossly unfair.
Z st would practically stop immigration,
but to have each Immigrant able 10 read
and write his own language insures a like
lihood Of his soon ueing able to read and
write our language. and to understand and
appreciate our institutipns- A. ! have
said above. there will always be room tn
this country for the Intelligent immiErant'