Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1914-02-11
IMMIGRATION LAW WITH LITER
AcY CLAUSE is SURE TO BE
PASSED BY CONGRESS.
PRESIDENT WILL SIGN IT
Southerners Generally and Organized
Labor Favor the Measure and the
House Committee Recon-
mends It's Enactment.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

pose or becoming a citizen unless ne
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 is that it is known definite
ly that great majority of the mem
bers 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
to have the immigration bill taken up
early in February and pressed to
passage. This restriction bill is al
most identical 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 IA hours will be given over large
~ 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 a report favorable to the
passage of the bill virtually as it
stands. There are three minority re-
ports, one signed by Representative
SABBATH Of Illinois and Goldfogie 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 uG-
DERIVING this proposed immigration re-
stricting measure There is a feeling
ln Washington that many of the north
srn representatives In congress wish
the bill to pass and yet feel they must
vote against it. 1t is said that in its
initiative it is a 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 it
In taken for granted that Americans
Of this stock will look with equanim-
tky !, on the exclusion of illiterate
aliens.
This bill, or one very much like 1t,
il will be remembered, was passed
by the senate and house last year and
vesoed by Mr.. Taft. The senate
passed 1t over the veto by more than
q two-thirds vote, but the house up
held Mr. TAft's action by narrow
n,argiu.
Pernieious Lobby Routed.
President Wilson's word OF wrath
hast summer that pernicious lobby
ting was going on in congress not
nniy had it's 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-
sentatiyes of the great business inter
ests OF the country will come here to
make themselves heard before the jul
dietary and interstate commerce com
mi tees which were given charge OF
the antitrust bills. Some of tho busl-
ness men already are here, but there
are none of the marks of the old-time
lob oyists about them or about the law
yers whom they have brought with
them or sent ahead of them to plead
aga inst 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 oltStimers, if they are to be found,
must be searched for with q 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 scandal
OF the old familiar methods of exerting
undue influence on Individual commit
tee members.
Business Men Welcome.
1t Is plain from what has been said
In the vicinity of the White House
that President Wilson desires that rep
resentatives oS the commercial inter
ests of the country shall come to
Washington and present to the com
mitteemen their side of any case in
volyed In the projected legislation.