The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1914-02-13
IMMIGRATION LAW WITH LITER
AcY CLAUSE IS SURE TO BE
PASSED BY CONGRESS.
southerners Generally and Organized
Labor Favor the Measure and the
House Committee Recon-
nends ito Enactment.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.


enter the United States for the pur-
pose OF becoming citizen unless he
Is able to read. Congress soon will
pass and the president will sign an
immigration restriction bill which will
shut out illiterate foreigners.
The reason for the positive state
ment that congress will pass and the
president will sign an Immigration re-
striction bill containing the illiteracy
test clause ID that 1t is known definite
ly that a great majority Of the dem-
bers Of congress are In favor of the
measure and that Mr.. Wilson, judy
ing by what he has said in the past
on the same subject, also favors the
enactment Of such legislation.
Pressure 10 being brought to bear
to have the immigration bill taken up
early in February and pressed to a
passage. This restriction bill is al
most Identical with the one which
hpassed 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 IA 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 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 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 bill entered
by the minority members are based
on various considerations.
Favored by southerners.
1 There are some curious things un-
! DERIVING this proposed immigration re-
| stricting measure There is q 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 IL is 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
old American stock and seemingly II
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 II,
1t will be remembered was passed
by the senate and house last year and
vetoed by Mr.. Taft. The senate
passed 1t over the veto by more than
a two-thirds vote, but the house up.
held Mr., Taft's action by narrow
margin.
Pernlcious Lobby Routed.
President Wilson's word of wrath
last summer that pernicious lobby
ing was going on in congress not
only had its 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 to
make themselves heard before the ju
dietary and interstate commerce com
mittees which were given charge Of
the antitrust bills. Some OF the bust
ness men already are here. but there
are none of 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 oldtimers. 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 is believed
In Washington that the antitrust
hearings will be free from the scanda
Of the old familiar methods of exertint
undue influence on individual commit
tee members.
Business Men Welcome.
; II is plain from what has been sale
, In the vicinity OF the White House
that President Wilson desires that rep
resentatiyes OF the commercial inter
ests of the country shall come &c
Washington and present to the com
mitteemen their side OF any case in
volved in the projected legislation
The wolves have been scared away
kt.t .f..1x a L.