Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-28
PRESIDENT VETOES
IMMIGRATION BILL

printed. - 80. t.,
dicated by the vote on the Bills passage.
| I'm the House February g. 1914, the vote
/ was 252 for the bill 126 against, with two
voting present" or two less than two
| thirds. The Senate passed 1t January 2
/ 1915, so to I.
The vote in 1918 to override President
Taft's veto of the same bill was House.
2i3 for, ia against, 2 present or five less
than the necessary two-thirds. Senate
u for, Is against, and five not voting
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
The Presidents message, which was ap-
plauded on both sides of the House, fol-
/ lows:
1T is with unaffected regret that
| find myself constrained by clean con-
viction to return this bill without my
signature Not only do | feel 1t to be
a very serious matter to exercise the
power of veto in any case, because 1t
involves opposing the single Judgment
of the President to the Judgment of the
majority of both the Houses of the Con-
press, a step which no man who realizes
| his own liability to error can take with
| out great hesitation, but also because
/ this particular bill Is in SO many impor-
| tant respects admirable, well conceived
and desirable.
"Its enactment into law would undoubt-
odly enhance tne eInClenCy anu lhlplNNo
the methods of handing the important
branch of the public service to which 1t
relates but candor and a sense of duty
with regard to the responsibility so clear
ly imposed upon me by the Constitution
in matters of legislation leaves me no
choice but to dissent.
A BLOW AT LIBERTY.
"In two particulars of vital consequence
At. t.stt 1lr,a rft tirn
from the traditional and long established
policy Of this country, a policy in which
our people have conceived the very char
acter of their Government to be ex-
pressed. the very mission and spirit of
the nation in respect to its relations to
the people of the world outside their
borders.
1T seeks to all but close entirely the
gates of asylum which always have been
open to those who could find nowhere
else the right and opportunity of constitu-
tional agitation for what they conceived
to be the natural and inalienable rights
of man; and it excludes those to whom
the opportunity of elementary education
has been denied, without regard to their
character, their purposes, or their natural
capacity
Restrictions like these, adopted earlier
very materially altered the course and
COOLED the humane ardors of our politics.
The right of political asylum has brought
to this country many a man of noble
character and elevated purpose who was
marked as an outlaw in his own less
fortunate land, and who has yet become
an ornament to our citizenship and to
our public counsels.
The children and compatriots of these
illustrious Americans must stand amazed
to see the representatives of their nation
now resolved, in the fulness of our ma
tional strength and at the maturity Of
our great institutions, 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 of this feature of the bill was
realized when it was framed and adopted,
and 1t is impossible for me to assent to it
in the form in which it is here passed.
RADICAL CHANGE IN POLICY"
'The literacy test and the tests and
restrictions which accompany it constl,
tute an even more radical change in the
policy of the nation. Hitherto we have
generously kept our doors open to all
who are not untitled by reason of disease
or incapacity for self support or such
personal records and antecedents as were
likely to make them a menace to our
peace and order or to the wholesome and
inohensive relationships of life
In this bill it is proposed to turn away
from tests of character and of quality
and impose tests which exclude and re-
strict; for the new tests here embodied
are not the tests of quality or of char
acter or of personal fitness but tests of
opportunity. Those who come seeking
opportunities are not to be admitted un-
less they already have had one of the
opportunity of education. The object of
such provisions is restriction, not selec-
tion.
WANTS PEOPLES OPINION.
"If the people of this country have
made up their minds to limit the number
of immigrants by arbitrary tests and so
reverse the policy of all the generations
of Americans that have gone before them,
it is their right to do so. am their serv-
ant and have no license to stand in their
way. But l do not believe that they
have.
II respectfully submit that no one can
quote their mandate to that effect Has
any political party ever avowed a policy
of restriction in this fundamental mat
ter, gone to the country on it, and been
commissioned to control this legislation?
Does this bill rest upon the conscious
and universal assent and desire of the
American people? 1 doubt it, 1t is be-
cause doubt it that 1 make bold to
dissent from it,
81 am willing to abide by the verdict.
but not until 1t has been rendered Let
the platform of parties speak out upon
this policy and the people pronounce thelr
wish. The matter Is too fundamental to
be settled otherwise
IL have no pride of opinion in this |
question, L am not foolish enough 10
profess to know the wishes and ideals
of America better than the body of her
chosen representatives know them.
only want instructions direct from those !
whose fortunes, with ours and all mems,
are involved.
WOODROW WILSON,"