Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-06-10
NEW IMMIGRATION Plan.


Contrary 10 expectations. Senator
Dillingham; mas not reintrodaced the
. imrnigra lion bill vetoed b. President
Taft a. the last session Of congress.
Instead the senator from Vermont has
introduced q new measure from which
the provision that evoked the pres
Dental veto has been omitted. This
vas the much discussed ii:eracy test.
In place Of il the new Dillingham; bill.
contains q provision that the number
OF immigrants of any oDe nationality
admitted annually shall not exceed 10
per cent of the number of representa-
tives OF such nationality already re-
siding in this country. At first glance
III would seem the new regulation
might be adopted withou, the sIrenn-
Gus protests aroused by every effort 10
ADOPT hteracy test.
Attic the literacy test vas proposed
ostensibly with view To improving
the quality Of our immigration. it was
plain that the actual objec. was 10 CIT
! down The number of immigrants ad-
nit.ed annually. II WAS especially de-
sired TO cut down the iIrlmi era ton
from southern Europe. The liter
acy test was proposed because on the
surface il wolld apply 20 all national
+, lilies alike and yet hear down with
especial severity in restraining innll-
era ton from the countries from which
il is now heaviest. II was opposed not
only by those who opposed any limita-
ton OF iri1-. igra zion a; this time. but by
these who could not approve the prin-
cipIe involved in the literacy tesla
! principle. thai if applied years ago
would have barred immigrants whom
we now count as among our most use
( f,11 citizens Truth 10 tell. few support
srs Of The vetoed DilIing CHAM bill really
. liked the literacy test. They accepted
( it because i. was the only one seeming
II, have any chance of adoption that
really would reduce the number Of i'm
migrants The feeling in favor of some
/ form Of restriction vas 50 strongly re-
/ ffected in congress. however. thai it
was only by a presidential veto that the
! bill containing the lireracy test was
put out Of running temporarily.
/! Senator Dillingham's present plan is
TO admit annually immigrants To the
number of 20 Per cent of the residents
Of each nationality now in the United
States This regulation in practice
would mean no restriction in the mum
her Of immigrants from northern
Europe from which the tide of inlrni-
grafton was formerly high. but is nov
a, a relatively low ebo. Only within
The last decade have immigrants beer
coming from the main source of tbs
present influx. 4 regulation restricting
the annual increase to 10 per cent q.
the number non here would arbitrarily
bar a considera ole proportion Of thf
immigrants who have Of late beer
seeking admission. The plan has tat
advantage of not singing out any IA
tionality for discrimination and admit
ting all Municipalities alike up TO tht
authorized 10 per cent.
Under the new Dillingham; bill j
would seem that congress might have
an opportunity 10 pass squarely on tn
question whether il is desirable TO re
duce the quality of our current inlrni
grafton Sentiment for the affirma
live of this question is not by an,
means unanimous. aiiho the vote OIL
the Dillingham; bill az the last session
of congress indicated a large najorit,
on that side Organized labor i
strongly for the policy Of limitation
5 and much of the political strength @
the movement is due TO that fact. How
ever. both in Industrial and agricultur
al centers there are important interest
that protest vigorously against an:
. damnning Of the inflow of new foreigl
labor Ii is complained that the mum
Der OF native sons willing to accept tn
rougner forms Of employment liz nov
unequal to demand Il is insisted tina
| if the foreign source OF supply is shu
off or materially restricted the corse
quences may be serious IN disturbin
the present balance between deman
and supply Of unskiiled heavy labor
{ The question is one which may be de
: oated on its merits when the billing
i ham bill comes up at the next resula
r session Of congress The advance indi
y cations will be all in favor OF a con
: gressional verdict in favor OF the polio
II OF restriction.
81 R>,nS;.x.an Ind,ciai HNAAcev.v