The Madison journal., 1914-02-14
ALIENS MUST READ'
IMMIGRATION LAW WITH LITER.
Acr CLAUSE is SURE TO BE
PASSED BY CONGRESS.
PRESIDENT WILL SIGN 1T
Southerners Generally and Organized
Labor Favor the Measure and the
House Committee Recon-
mends Its Enactment.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

Washington.-By May l next 1t vii
be impossible for any adult alien t,
enter the United States for the pur
pose or becoming citizen unless ht
Is able to read. Congress soon will
pass and the president will sign al
immigration restriction bill which will
shut out illiterate foreigners.
Inc reason for the positive state
ment that congress will pass and the
president will sign an immigration re
strlction bill containing the illiteracy
test clause is that it is known definite
~ that a great majority of the mem
oers 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
70 have the immigration bill taken up
early in February and pressed to a
passage. This restriction bill is al
most ideatical 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
V 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 TO 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 report favorable to the
passage of the bill virtually as 1t
stands. There are three minority re-
ports, one signed by Representatives
Saoath 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 bill entered
by the minority members are based
On various considerations.
Favored by Southerners.
There are some curious things un-
terrifying this proposed immigration re- |
'trlctlng measure. There is a feeling
n Washington that many of the north
ern representatives in congress wish
he bill to pass and yet feel they must
'ote against it. 1t is said that in its
1t Is southern proposition.
Members Of the house from the south.
rn states have no reason to fear that
hey will endanger their seats by yot.
ng against it. The constituents of
irtually all the southerners are of
ID American stock and seemingly II
taken for granted that Americans
4 this stock. will look with equanim-
" on the exclusion of illiterate
liens
This bill, or one very much like IL.
Will be remembered, was passed
y the senate and house last year and
etoed by Mr.. Taft The senate
assed 1t over the veto by more than
two-thirds vote, but the house I'D
eld Mr.. Taft's action by a narrow
largin.
Pernlcious Lobby Routes.
President Wilson's word of wrath +!
st summer that pernicious LOBBY
g was going on in congress not
1ly had its effect In disclosing
'e names Of the lobbyists, but [
has brought about an entirely new
'ndition Of affairs in this city. There ,
e no lobbyists in Washington dur. t
G the discussion Of the antitrust
lis. They have been barred by hints G
hich have the force of an executive 7
der. I
Washington fully expects that repre- t
natives Of the great business inter-
rs OF the country will come here to
AXE themselves heard before the ju- e
ciary and interstate commerce com. v
Ittees which were given charge of a
antitrust bills. Some Of the busi- 4
IS men already are here, but there |;
none Of the marks OF the old-time n
)byists about them or about the law h
rs whom they have brought with n
em or sent ahead of them to plead X
ainst some Of the provisions of the n
9
Old Washington residents and the VI
teran members of congress proba- W
will be unable to recognize any te
iividuals in the descending hosts. o.
e old-timers, II they are to be found.
st be searched for with long-dis- r
ice telescope. The recent lobby in fc
Try. although its results in some T
pects were not what they might ia
We been. has been sufficient to shat. ID
the iron nerves of some of the q,
byists OF other days. 1t is believed n,
Washington that the antitrust n
lrings will be free from the scandal is
The old familiar methods of exertins M