New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-11
I. R. EXPOSES WILSON'S
VIEWS ON IMMIGRATION
Says Governors Explanation
Is Such That He Can Expect
No One to Believe 1t.
CALLS OPPONENT UNMANLY
Statement That Steel Trust
Was Supporting Colonel in
Thought Called Weak
Explanation.

Duluth, Mimi, Oct, 10.-GoVernor Woou-
row Wilson's writings on immigration
were taken up tonight by Theodore
Roosevelt, who charged that the Demo-
cratic candidate had offered explanations
OF his views of such character that ne
did net see how any man could be ex-
pected to believe them. Colonel Roose-
welt also criticised Governor Wilson for
a statement attributed to him. that the
United States Steel Corporation was sup
porting the Progressive ticket
The ex-President came here to-day from
Michigan. stopping on the way for an
hour at Superior. He spent most OF the
day here. The Auditorium was thronged
when Colonel Roosevelt arrived there to-
night. and another hall was thrown open
to the crowd. He spoke In both buildings
and then departed for Oshkosh. Wis,
where he is to deliver an address to-mor-
row night.
Il call your attention" said Colonel
Roosevelt. ito what Mr.. Wilson has said,
compared with what he now says on the
question of immigration, and especially
the immigration from Eastern and South
ern Europe" He then read extracts
from q magazine article written by Gov
ernor Wilson In 1889. quoting the writer
as saying that the character Of the ma
tian was being most deeply affected and
modified by the enormous immigration
which year after year pours into the
country from Europe" and that our own
temperate blood, schooled to self-posses-
sion and to the measured conduct Of self
government, is receiving constant con-
fusion and yearly experiencing par
tiaI corruption Of foreign blood"
Hungarian Episode Again.
Colonel Roosevelt also said that in one
OF Governor Wilson's books he spoke OF
the coming Of ''multitudes OF men OF the
lowest classes from the south OF Italy,
and men OF the meaner sort out of Hur-
gary and Poland. men out Of the ranks
where there Is neither skill, nor energy,
nor any initiative or intelligence"
He quoted Governor Wilson as having
written that the Chinese were more to
be desired as workers II not as citizens,
than most OF the coarse crew that came
crowding In every year at the Eastern
ports, ana tnat the UNLIKELY lcilONe
who came in at the Eastern ports were
tolerated because they usurped no place
but the very lowest in the scale OF labor"
The colonel continued:
When asked to explain this in March
last, Mr.. Wilson wrote to Mr.. Di Syl-
Yesto, in part as follows:
IT was, In tho passage alluded TO, only
deploring the coming to this country OF
certain lawless elements, which had
supposed all thoughtful aliens themselves
deplored was thinking OF the men who
have time and again threatened TO give
to that whole fine body OF Italians. who
have enriched American life, a reputa-
ton which they do not deserve"
In another letter published IN The New
York Tribune, OF March II. 1912, Mr.. VII.
son says: II referred TO the class or
which was brought here under
pauper labor contracts" -
] am reluctantly. obliged TO say that II
is quite impossible 10 reconcile the two
explanations Mr.. Wilson gives, as have
a hove quoted them, with the facts
Neither in his magazine article nor In
his history did he make an alluslon TO
pauper contract labor, nor did he make
an allusion to the lawless elements. He
was contrasting immigrants generally
with natives and the immigrants or GER
tain European countries with those from
other European countries. And / regret,
for Mr.. Wilson's own sake, that ne should
have made such defence.