Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-05
IMMIGRANT BILL
PASSED BY HOUSE
Argument Over Literacy Test,
Which Measure Includes,
Stirs Up Verbal Row.

Washington. D. C.. Feb. with a
provision barring ilIiterates, said to
be the most drastic legislation of its
kind in many years, the Burnett i'm
migration bill came before the senate
today, where the final question of a
literacy test will be threshed out.
Many expect the senate will pass the
bill as it stands. but the presidents
attitude is causing much speculation.
Some say the president is opposed to
literacy test Before he signs the
bill. however, he will give public hear
ings upon il.
Secretary Bryan urged the house
immigration committee to take no ac-
tion on the Raker bill for exclusion
OF Asiatic immigrants pending diplo-
matte negotiations with Japan over
California land laws. The question
OF Asiatic exclusion was discussed at
length behind closed doors. The sec
retary bound republicans and demo
Gratis alike TO secrecy, and tod them
the administration needed to be free
from legislative embarrassments
while dealing with the situation diplo-
matically.
hdhtT VI Sd4lAOIIld anu dkItcu
with Bryan nothing should be done to
-embarrass the administration.
Washington, d. c., Feb. 5.-The
Burnett immigration bill calling for
a literacy test for applicants to ad-
mission to the United States was
passed by the house yesterday after
noon by a vote of 241 to 126.
All proposed amendments relating
to the exclusion OF Asiatic immigrants
previously had been eliminated
The final vote came at the end of a I
day of vigorous debate. which at times /
threw the house into confusion and /
on several occasions threatened to /
cause serious trouble.
Representative Burnett of Alabama,
in charge of the bill, tried to hurry
the debate along and frequently moved
to proceed and shut OFF the discus
sion.
On one occasion Representative
Nianahan of Minnesota commented up
On what he called "the unfairness with
which this bill has been driven
and "the unfair statements
Of the chairman. Mr.. Burnett. in view
Of his fear and cowardice. which he
has shown in not daring to answer
objections"
With a bound Representative Bur
cett was on his feet
That's a lie. Mr.. Chairman. and the
gentleman knows it," he shouted.
Amid a tumult or demands for rec
ignition. points of order. and a general
lutburst OF disorder. Representative
Jay in the chair finally called Repre-
sentative Manahan to order. Another
in hn M 2
which Representative Manahan with
rev the word cowardice. Minority
.eader Mann. in the role of peacemak-
r. finally quieted things down and :
,rought about an exchange OF apol- $
gies. c
At another point in the debate the 1
hartman and Representative Mann ,
ad a heated exchange. the latter de- T
laring that "the chair is disrespect- I
1l TO the house" :
As the bill passed. IT provides that I,
very immigrant admitted to the :
-nited States must be able 10 read /,
the English language, or some other
lnguage or dialect. including Hebrew \
r Yiddish~ IL prescribes the method {
Z testing immigrants. providing that
ach applicant for admission must
Fad a slip on which are printed be-
veen 30 and 40 words l
In its present form this measure J
assed the house and the senate In I
ie last congress. but was vetoed by ,
resident Taft. a similar bill was ;
etoed during President Cleveland's r
acond administration. The support n
rs OF the bill are confident that IT Will )
gain pass the senate. although Presi- n
ent Wilson has let II be known that c
e does not approve the literacy test. n
Opponents OF the literacy test 81
,ught strenuousIy to the last, but in 5
last effort TO eliminate the test from \
le bill they were defeated. 40 10 239. a
II