The Irish standard., 1914-03-07
MANAHAN MAKES PROTEST
Minnesota Congressman Attacks Illiteracy
Provisions of Burnett Bill
Not the Popular Test of Manhood Similar
Bills Vetoed

community. Workers produce necessi.
ties for each others use. Workers
make the market for the products of
toll. A million immigrants building
public works like canals or railroads
would surely help make a market
for farm products as we'll as for the
shoe factories and stores that sun.
piled them. A million immigrants
helping farmers till unused acres
would enable the production of larger
crops at less expense and make the
cost of living less to the toilers in
the towns, as we'll as making life
easier for our overworked farmers.
Mr.. Morrison, the secretary of the
Federation of Labor. testifying before
our committee in favor of restriction.
admitted that he had never considered
the effect Of immigration on the cost
of our food supply or on the market
for farm and factory products.
1t has been the practice of the rail.
road and steamship companies to use
a part of the fare paid by the immi-
grant in creating fund to work up
immigration from the old country. The
literacy test. If it becomes a law, will
not destroy this profitable practice.
The solicitors abroad will simply shift
their field of operation from the hum
BILE but illiterate peasantry of rural
places to the slums of the ancient
cities, where steerage passengers can
be found who are able to read. This
Will bring larger percentage of vi
cious and dangerous men and a small
er number of simple. earnest toilers.
Even If labor union men consider this
matter from purely selfish stand
point they will lose by this, for the
more shrewd and shifty men of the
cities of Europe are more inclined
than the simple peasants to congre-
gate in larger cities here, and are
more apt to make capable strike
breakers in time of contest. Our laws
are rigid now, and will fully protect
us If enforced. We exclude the Asiatic
and the anarchist, the idiot and the
insane, the paralytic and the pauper.
Why should we bar those who are
sane and sound and strong?
A comparison of the wealth and en-.
terprise of states like Minnesota.
largely foreign in population, with
that of states to which few If any i'm
migrants have come, utterly condemns
this bill from an economic and busi-
ness standpoint. During the debate
in the House it was noticeable that
the most vociferous champions.of the
bill were from states quite destitute
of foreign blood. The first few
speeches l heard these simon-pure
Americans make, extolling the virtues
of their Revolutionary sires, singing
the praises of universal education, de.
ploring the danger of ignorant for.
eigners, made me feel sorry for poor
old Minnesota, where it is almost
necessary to have search warrant
with lantern to find native white
OF native parentage. I sought comfort
from the census, feeling certain that
our children, at least, could hold their
own with the proudest Southern state,
The comparison made me very proud
of my constituency, and threw their
own test into their teeth. I found
that Minnesota's native born are only
one-half Of per cent illiterate, and,
including all our foreigners, our whole
people are only 3 per cent illiterate,
while the native white voters of the
district represented by the man in
charge of the bill on the floor of the
House, Mr.. Burnett of Alabama, were
1874 per cent illiterate, the inhabitants
Of the whole State of Alabama being
22.9 per cent illiterate. The district
Of another conspicuous advocate Of
the bill, from Kentucky, showed an
illiteracy of 20.5 per cent among native
white voters.
All of the states unstimulated by
foreign immigrants show the same de-
plorable condition as to illiteracy. It
seems as though the native stock, left
to itself, becomes stale, stupid and
sterile. both Intellectually and physi.
cally. In any event, the census report
(page 239 Of the abstract) makes this
significant statement in discussing II.
literacy among all the people Of the
United States. Is
"The lowest per cent Of illiteracy.
IL per cent, was among the native
whites Of foreign mixed parentaga.t
while among the native whites Of NJ
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