Rocky Ford enterprise. (Rocky Ford, Colo.) 1887-1950, 1914-04-03

President Wilson will interpose his
veto. The friends of the test clause
in congress. however, are insistent in
their belief that the measure will get
the presidents signature.
This division of opinion with friend
on one side and foe on the other
makes it appear that the wish is
father to the thought in each case.
Perhaps 1t is, but the accommodating
evidence is that while the president
personally is opposed to submitting
aliens to the reading test, he Will
sign the bill with the Objectionable
clause included.
Ask Reading Test.
The legislatures of Ohio. Tennessee,
Virginia and Vermont and of several
other states have adopted resolutions
asking congress to impose reading
test on adult aliens seeking admission
to this country. The great labor or
ganizations. the largest organizations
of farmers both of the North and
South, and other organizations all
over the country have been petitioning
the lawmakers for years to put the
reading test" on the statute books.
1t is said in Washington that Presi-
dent Wilson. while personally opposed
to the literacy test, has made up his
mind that he should pay heed to the
wishes of congress and especially to
report made by the commission
which spent four years investigating
and studying in this country and in
Europe the whole immigration sub
ject. The report of the commission
tn oh,
The majority of the commission ia
vored not only a writing test as the
most feasible single method of re-
stricting undesirable immigration"
Strong feeling, bitter feeling, in fact,
is expressed by some members of
congress against the reading test. The
basic argument of opponents of the
literacy clause is that this country
will be untrue to it's traditions and to
the spirit in which the republic was
founded if it shall refuse admittance
to men and women otherwise fit for
citizenship simply because they can
not read. These opponents of the lit
eracy test say that economic consider
atoms ought not to weigh against an
effort to maintain true democracy.
Great Naval Pageant.
1t finally has been definitely decided
by the navy department that the six
teen most formidable American battle
ships, the dreadnaughts of our navy.
shall be designated to lead the great
procession of vessels through the Pan
anna canal from the Atlantic to the
Pacific on the occasion of the big cele-
bration marking, although some
months afterward. the completion OF
the waterway.
There has been no change OF ~
tention with regard to giving the -
of honor at the head of the line to the
old battleship Oregon. now almost out
OF date, but with record which
makes 1t fitting that old as she Is
and feeble by comparison as she Is,
that she shall lead the way as she has
lead it on battle occasion once be-
fore. In the immediate wake OF the
Oregon will come the sixteen war
monsters of the American battleship
fleet.
The dreadnaughts of,the nav'es OF
the world will pass in procession
through the Panama canal early next
year. 1t will be power on parade"
ne DdCh vi SuiCoio o-N ~
Empire will look on a scene which
will diminish to nothingness the
scene of the sweep of the Spanish
Armada toward Marlborough Head
Rapidly the preparations are maxi
ing for the gathering of the warships
in Colon harbor. 1t may be that the
great event may be set forward from
January to March. for 1t is possible
that the operating force of the canal
will not be trained to a point of eff
ficiency to make 1t absolutely safe to
entrust 1t with the safeguarding OF
the great fleets in their course from
ocean to ocean. but within twelve
months the procession will pass. and
II will be such a one as never before
was witnessed in this world of ours.
Many Nations Promise.
Washington officials already have
been definitely informed that SIS war
ships of foreign nations will take part
in the Panama canal parade. Tenta-
tive promises have been made that
other ships of the alien" will be add
ed to the list and that when the
great day comes there will be 100
foreigners in line to take the wake
of the American craft.
While the American battleships will
lead the procession other American
vessels will be distributed at different
points along the line of parade. One
Yankee detachment will consist of
2S torpedo boats and torpedo boat de-
stroyers.
Every nation on earth which has a
navy, or enough of navy to supply
vessels for other than home guard
purposes, will be represented in the
sailing line.