Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1914-07-17
TRY uTERACY TEST
THIS PLAN BEING URGED AS A
CORRECTIVE MEASURE TO
IMPROVE IMMIGRATION.
LOWER CLASSES COME TO STATES
Accustomed at Home to Very Low
Wage and Corresponding Mode of
Llving-Steamship and Railroad
Cos. Fight Proposed Law.

1t is because of the change in the
character of the European immigra-
ton we have been getting during re-
cent years that the literacy test is be-
ing urged as a corrective.
Now there are just as fine people in
the countries of southern and eastern
Europe as in the nations of north
western Europe, but we do not get
many of them among our immigrants.
From the northwestern countries we
got a good average class of people but
| in southern and eastern Europe there
is a wider gulf, socially and economic
ally, between the higher and lower
classes and, as general proposition,
people of the higher classes are well
content to remain where they are and
it is mostly only the lower classes
that emigrate to this country.
Moreover, these immigrants are &C
| customed at home to an extremely low
scale of wages and living. They are
largely and inherently illiterate and
lacking in aspiration. Sentimental
ties are strong with them and it is not
their intention in emigrating to found
Intellectually, socially or politically
but to sell their labor (for which they
could get only a pittance at home)
cheap in land of high-priced labor
and, by living together and maintain
ing their own low standard of living
to save a sufficient surplus from a few
years work to make their position In
the native land more comfortable anC
easy. Obviously, this is not desir
able class of immigration and it pre-
sents serious industrial problem.
immigration statistics show that the
! illiteracy of immigrants from southern
and eastern Europe is twelve times al
great as that from northwestern Eu
rope, which demonstrates wherein thu
literacy test would be effective. Thu
literacy test is not urged as being
necessary or fair requirement in itself
Because a man cannot read or writ
does not necessarily prove his unde
STABILITY; many may never have ha
the opportunity to learn, whereas
here, either they or their children
z. might learn. But most of the unde
; sirable immigration comes from south
the immigration from southern an
eastern Europe is illiterate. So there
. the answer; it appears to be a prat
tical means to a desired end.
The literacy test, excluding adul
males unable to read or write in on
. language or dialect, was included /
the immigration bill introduced in tn
senate by Dillingham; in August, 1911.
This bill contained legislation recon
:. mended by a congressional immigr;
ton committee, appointed in Februar,
1907, which had investigated cond
}. tions at home and abroad for fou
years.
v The bill finally passed both tn
house and the senate by large major
! ties on January 30 and February
q 1913. But President Taft vetoed /
! basing his objection on the impositio
/ of a literacy test. The bill was r
, passed in the senate over the pres
dents veto and in the house lacke
3 only five votes of securing the nece
II sary two-thirds.
n Besides the literacy test, the bi
a also contemplated many other change
4 in the laws and regulations pertai
ing to immigration. There was ope
opposition from the steamship col
panies and 1t is said the bill was ali
opposed by railroads and other int
- ests desiring the cheapest labor. Ho'
70 ever, those who opposed the bill f
70 one reason or another, found the l
n eracy test an embarrassing point
~ which to hang their opposition. 1t
"a understood another immigration bi
I'd including the literacy test, will be
sd troduced in the present congress.
"A