Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1914-02-11
ALIENS MUST READ
IMMIGRATION LAW WITH LITER
AcY CLAUSE IS SURE TO BE
PASSED sY CONGRESS.
PRESIDENT WILL SIGN IT
Southerners Generally and Organized
Labor Favor the Measure and the
House Committee Recon-
mends its Enactment.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


be impossible for any adult alien to
enter the United States for the pur-
pose of becoming a citizen unless he
Is able TO read. Congress soon will
pass and the president win sign al
immigration restriction bill which will
shut out illiterate foreigners.
The reason for the positive state
ment that congress will pass and the
president viii sign an immigration re-
strietion bill containing the illiteracy
test clause is that it is known definite
iy that great majority of the men,
bers of congress are in favor of the
measure and that Mr.. Wilson. judg-
ing by what he has said in the past
on the same subject, also favors the
enactment Of such legislation.
Pressure is being brought to bear
to have the immigration bill taken up
early in February and pressed to
passage. This restriction bill is al
most identical with the one which
passed the house and senate last year
and which President Taft vetoed.
Arrangements are being made for
consideration of the measure. A rule
Is TO be asked limiting debate to seven
hours on each side. This means that
the II hours will be given over large
ly to the discussion of the literacy
clause of the bill which provides that
no alien over sixteen years of age
who is unable to read shall be grant
ed admission 20 this country.
Representative Burnett of Alabama,
chairman of the committee on immi-
grafton and naturalization. has submit
ted on behalf Of the majority of his
committee a report favorable to the
passage of the bill virtually as it
stands. There are three minority re-
ports, one signed by Representatives
SABBATH of Illinois and Goldfogle OF
New York. one by Representative
Moore of Pennsylvania. and one by
Representative johnson of Washing
ton. The objections to the hill entered
by the minority members are based
on various considerations
Favored by southerners.
There are some curious things I'M
DERIVING this proposed immigration re-
strieting measure. There is a feeling
in Washington that many of the north
ern representatives in congress wish
the bill to pass and yet feel they must
vote against it. 1t is said that in its
initiative it is a southern proposition.
Members of the house from the south
ern states have no reason to fear that
they will endanger their seats by vot-
ing against it. The constituents of
virtually all the southerners are OF
is taken for granted that Americans
OF this stock will look with equanim-
ity on the exclusion of illiterate
aliens
This bill, or one very much like It,
1t will be remembered. was passed
by the senate and house last year and
vetoed by Mr.. Taft. The senate
passed it over the veto by more than
a two-thirds vote. but the house up
held Mr.. Tafts action by a narrow
margin.
Perpicious Lobby Routed.
last summer that pernicious lobby
ing was going on in congress not
only had it's effect In disclosing
the names of the lobbyists. but
1t has brought about an entirely new
condition of affairs in this city. There
are no lobbyists in Washington dur
ing the discussion of the antitrust
bills. They have been barred by hints
which have the force of an executive
order.
Washington fully expects that repre-
sentatives of the great business inter
ests of the country will come here 10
make themselves heard before the ju-
dietary and interstate commerce conf
mittees which were given charge OF
the antitrust bills. Some of the busi-
ness men already are here. but there
are none ce the marks of the old-time
lobbyists about them or about the law
yers whom they have brought with
them or sent ahead of them to plead
against some of the provisions OF the
measures.
Old Washington residents and the
veteran members OF congress proba-
bly, will be unable to recognize any
individuals in the descending hosts
The old-timers, il they are to be found,
must be searched for with long-dis-
lance telescope. The recent lobby In
quiry. although its results in some
respects were not what they might
have been, has been sufficient to shat
ter the iron nerves of some Of the
lobbyists of other days. 1t as believed
in Washington that the antitrust
hearings viii be free from the scandal
of the old familiar methods Of exerting
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