Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1915-01-28

WASHINGTON. Jan 2S.-President
Wilson vetoed the immigration bill
today and sent a special message to
Congress, saying he disapproved the
measure because of the literacy test
and other restrictive tests which it
proposes as a condition of admission
of immigrants to the United States
President Wilson's message deliv-
cred to the House was as follows:
TT is with unaffected regr { that
| find myself constrained by clear
conviction. to return this bill III. r..
$780, an act TO regulate the immigra-
ton of aliens to and the residence Of
aliens In the United States), without
my signature.
mot only do I feel 1t to be a ser :
Gus matter to exercise the power OF
veto in any case, because it involves
opposing the single judgment of the
President to the judgment of a ma
jority of tn houses of the Congress,
q step which no man, who realizes
his own liability to error can take
without great hesitation, but also be-
cause this particular bill is In so
many important respects admirable,
weil-conceived and desirable.
"No Chance But to Dissent
'Its enactment into law would un-
tioubtedly enhance the efficiency and
improve the methods of handling the
important branch of the public ser.
vice to which it relates: but candor
and sense of duty with regard to
the responsibility so clearly imposed
upon me by the constitution in mat
ters of legislation, leave me no choice
but to dissent.
'In two particulars of vital conse-
uuence this bill embod'es a radical
departure from the traditional and
long established policy of this coun-
try, a policy in which our people have
conceived the very character of their
government TO be expressed, the very
mission and spirit of the nation in
respect to it's relations to the people
of the world outside their borders.
"It seeks to all but close entirely
the gates of asylum which have al
ways been open to those who could
find nowhere else the right and OPP
portunity of constitutional agitation,
for what they conceived to be the
natural and inalienable rights of men;
and 1t excludes those to whom the op-
portunities of elementary education
have been denied without regard to
their character. their purposes, or
their natural capacity.
Political Asylum for Noble Characters.
llhO tllSSts eAoOPlCN
earlier in our history as a nation
would very materially have altered
the course and cooled the humane ar
doris of our politics. The right OF
political asylum has brought to this
country many man of noble char
acter and elevated purpose who was
marked as an outlaw in his own less
fortunate land, and. who has yet be-
come an ornament to our citizenship
and to our public councils.
The children and the compatriots of
these illustrious Americans must
stand amazed to see the representa-
tives of their nation, now resolved in
the fullness of our national strength
and at the maturity of our great in
stitutions, to risk turning such men
back from our shores without test OF
quality or purpose. 1t is difficult for
me to believe that the full effect CT
this feature of the bill was realized
when it was framed and adopted, and
1t is impossible Tor me to assent to it
in the form in which 1t is bers cast.
The literacy test and the tests and
restrictions which accompany i: con-
stitute an even more radical change
In the policy of the nation. Hither to
we have generously kept our doors
open to all who were not untitled hy
reason of disease or incapacity for
sef-support or such personal records
or antecedents as we're likely to make
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