Arizona republican., 1915-01-31
The LIteracy Test


 Three presidents have vetoed immigration bills with the restrictions of the so-called lteracy test In two cases senates have passed the bills the Netoes. passage has failed in the house. not per !aps because the house in sympathy with the president but because it more afraid of him. The literacy is growing and more in popular favor because the people have better understanding of it. but because they hear more The argument in favor of it is spacious, and the average citizen is not apt to grasp the ful meaning of it. To him it to bar gross ignorance which has been pointed out. is the greatest menace to a democratic republican form of government
 As Senator Williams said in his brilliant ad- d.ess in support of the immigration bill. it does not matter whether it is the ignorance of the Mis- sssipp negro or the imported ignorance of Europe
 But brought here. up against the mean ing of the word ignorance and right here Is the weakness of the literacy test We up know edge. and very slight of the English Ian suage evidence that the immigrant is not ignol ant. A Frenchman German, an Italian Rus may be fairly well educated in his Ian suage He may have been graduated from gym nasium from of the other higher schools of his country and yet have neglected the study of English, though as a matter of fact Europeans learn English and all other languages with greater facility than English speaking people learn foreign languages. Yet. under the immigration bill, highly educated foreigners, capable of quickly mastering English and probably already acquainted through their native etongues with American customs and institutions. probably better acquainted than of the descendants of voyagers in the Mayflower are debarred admission this country.
 We will suppose that the continental European countries should apply such test to all Americans who desire land their shores either for settle for temporary purposes. Not American in who seeks to visit any of the continental countries for outing spend his riches, would be permitted to leave the ship that carried him Hardly native-horn American in fifty has working knowledge of any but the En- gsh language.
 It must be conceded that the statement of Sen ator Williams is true, that ignorance, and may add careessness constitute the greatest democratic and republican institutions This dark enough when government was purely representative in form. It is immeasurably darker now. when, in many of the states it has been adopted. have limited the representative form and have reserved to the people tine power direct legislation, and when in all these states directly selecting senators and in of the states directly expressing choice of presidential nominees.
 But the literacy test is not test of that degree of ignorance which units for good citizenship Nor does it prove that those who may pass it qualified to exercise the duties of citizenship. It should be broader and exacting It should test the intelligence of the immigrant his familiarity with his own language and the institutions of the country whence he comes. If he read and write his language and has taken interest in the affairs of his country that should be taken earnest of his intent to qualify for citizen ship in the country of his adoption.
 This admission the country is apart from the matter of conferring citizenship upon foreigners No should be considered qualified until he fulfill the requirements of naturali- zation laws, which confess adminis- tered with too great iaxty. A foreigner who dis regards language and neglecs to familiirize himself with institutions has in him the making of good citizen.