Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-12-03
CONGRESS LIKELY TO RE-PASS
BILL LARGELY RESTRICTING
IMMIGRATION.
1T WAS VETOED BY Mr.. TAFT
President Wilson, 1t Is Believed. Will
Sign Measure Containing the Edu-
cation Clause, Though Some Com
promise May Be Adopted.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

CoIAy III CuG Wlulel. MI WllSOn, now
ever, seemingly believes that a bill
carrying out the pledges of the Balti-
more platform eventually can be
passed. Whatever views he may take
OF the troubles ahead, it seems likely
that he has more real concern over
the political results of legislation in
tended to check immigration than he
has over the plans of assault on the
citadels of the great corporations.
Congress next winter will be asked
to legislate anew in an effort to re-
strict immigration Senate and house
will be ready with a bill which was
offered once before and which in a
composite and compromise form in
single bill shape finally was passed,
only to be vetoed by President Taft.
The advocates of restricting immigra-
ton are still purposeful. They be-
lieve that at the next session a bill
like the one which was vetoed by Mr..
Taft can be passed and that Presi-
dent Wilson will give it his signature.
The last immigration measure was
vetoed by Mr.. Taft because it con-
tanned an educational clause. No
adult who could not read was to be
admitted to this country The bill
passed the senate and the house in
turn. Then came the presidents veto.
The upper house passed the measure
over the veto and the lower house
came near doing the same thing, Mr..
Taft winning by the smallest kind of
margin.
Wilson a Restrictionist.
President Wilson in the past has
been known as a restrictionist. Men
who know him seem to believe that
in the future he will have the cour-
age of his past convictions because
the feeling is that nothing has hap
pened to change them. Politics and
immigration restriction are bound to-
gether closely If he shall sign the
measure the president will make a
good many enemies, and perhaps he
will not add largely to his friends.
Almost unquestionably the matter will
come to him for a decision shortly
after antitrust legislation has been
formulated and passed.
At the recent election in Massachu-
sets immigration restriction was a
live campaign issue. Charles S. Bird,
the Progressive candidate for govern
or, was opposed to restriction, while
Augustus p Gardner, the Republican
candidate, was in favor of it. This
matter is going to be a sharper issue
in Washington this winter than it
was in Massachusetts just prior to
the election The American Fedora
cion of Labor is in favor of the bill
which Mr. Taft vetoed and the fedora
lion is strong politically On the 9th
er side are organizations of American
citizens who have brethren in other
lands Mr. Wilson will have to stand
the fusillade from both sides. The
current belief is that he will sign a
bill of the kind which Mr. Taft We
toed.
1t is possible, however, that a sug-
gestion made by Senator Gallinger of
New Hampshire will prevail in bill
form and that the next legislation
proposed will concern itself with an
attempt to restrict the number of i'm
migrants in one year from any coun-
try to ten per cent of the natives Of
that country now residing in the Unit
ed States. 1t is arranged to have this
matter come up Immediately follow
ing the passage of antitrust legisla-
ton. 1t is delicate subject and con-
gressmen know it, but finally they
seem to have made up their minds
that they must face it and finish it
)ne way or the other.
Wilson for Big Navy.
1t seems to be the intention of
President Wilson and Secretary of
the Navy Daniels to recommend,
either early in the regular session
of congress or a little later, that
appropriations for three new battle
ships be authorized by congress. The
naval officers seemingly are pleased
and also little astonished over the
proposal of the Democratic admins
tration to present the sea service in
the name of the American people
with three brand new battleships.
1t may be that by the time the
presidents word on the subject is
taken up by congress the desire for
@hree battleships will be tempered to
4 desire for two or, if not to de-
sire for two. at least to a recon-
mendation for two. Mr.. Wilson prob
ably will not care to run the risk of
having one of his proposals vetoed
b. the non-militants in congress, but
the navy seems to think that having
won in nearly everything that he has
set out to win, Mr. Wilson may be
able to whip his party into line on the
big navy proposition.
If at the coming session the Demo
Gratis vote for two big ships they will
be voting for one more than the navy
thought was possible. There was a
feeling that for a year at least the
ship building operations of the gov
eminent were to cease. 1t is easier.
however, to get the law makers to
Go something for the navy than it is