The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1915-02-05
WILSON VETOES
LITERACY TEST
Burnett Sure Congress viii
Override President.
BUT SENTIMENT MAY CHANGE
Follows Example OF Cleveland and
Taft-Doubt Expressed If Con.
gress Can Pass Measure
Over Veto.

Washington, D. president Viii
son. following in the footsteps of the
late President Cleveland and former
President Taft, vetoed the Burnett
Dillingham; immigration bill and in
message to Congress explained his
action upon the grounds that the
measure provided literacy and other
radical restrictive tests for those wao
come from foreign shores to make
Cleveland and President Taft disap-
proved similar measures on the same
grounds.
Just before the President sent the
veto message to Congress, Representa-
tive David ]. Lewis, of Maryland. call
ed at the White House and made an
eleventh-hour appeal to the President
to sign the bill or at least allow it to
become a law without his signature.
The President told Mr.. Lewis that he
had prepared his veto message and
could not reconsider his action.
The one question at the Capitol was
whether Congress would pass the bill
over the Presidents Veto The feeling
is strong that the friends of the liter
acy test cannot muster twothirds
vote in the House to override the
Presidents disapproval
Representative Coady, of Baltimore,
who fought the literacy test when it
was, up in the House, was strong in
his opinion that the House would not
give the bill the necessary two-thirds
majority. Senator John Walter Smith,
of Maryland, who voted for the bill, ex-
pressed the same opinion in regard to
the Senate. Senate leaders, however,
insist that there will be no trouble
repassing the bill in the upper house.
This was done in the Taft administra-
ton. but the House failed to muster
two.thirds majority by a narrow
margin.
While have not canvassed the
House on the situation" said Mr..
Coady. Il have heard enough to con-
vince me that the Presidents veto will
never be overridden. There are a
large number of Democrats who
voted for the bill. but will not vote to
override the President. The Presi-
dents views for disappearing the
measure are so strong and clear. that
they in themselves will bring strength
to the influences against the BILL
The President in his message frank
ly told the House, which originated the
bill, that he had no pride of opinion
on the question and was not "foolishg
enough to profess to know the wishes
and ideals of America better than the
body Of her chosen representatives
knew them"
.'If the people of this country have
made up their minds to limit the num-
Der 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" he said. II am their servant
and have no license to stand in their
way But l do not believe that they
have"
When the message was read in the
House the attention given was marked
Upon it's conclusion there was APP
plause from both sides of the cham
Der. Similar applause followed a
statement by Representative Burnett
that at the proper time he would
move for a reconsideration of the vote
by which the, bill passed and that the
measure be passed over the Presi-
dents veto.