People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1896 — LEGISLATIVE DOINGS. [ARTICLE]

LEGISLATIVE DOINGS.

HOUSE DISCUSSES IMMIGRATION PROBLEM. Tw6 Day Debate on This Important Question Began Tuesday District of Columbia Bill Passed, Carrying *7,800,000. Washington, May 20.—The house Tuesday entered upon a two days’ debate of the immigration bills reported from the immigration committee. W. A. Stone of Pennsylvania and Mr. Tracewell of Indiana argued for a restrictive measure, Mr. Corliss of Michigan for his bill designed to put an end to Canadian competition with American labor, and Mr. Morse of Massachusetts and Mr. Bartholdt’of Missouri for the educational test bill. The feature of the dpbate was the plea of Mr. Buck of Louisiana against any sort,of restrictive legislation beyond that now on the statute books, which excluded paupers and criminals. The debate on the immigration bills was opened by Mr. Bartholdt (rep.) of Missouri, chairman of the immigration committee. An educational test, he pointed out, would not materially affect immigration from Great Britain, Germany and other countries of northern Europe. He warned his republican associates that as the advocates of the educational test for immigration they could go to the country, but consular inspection that would cut off all Immigration save the most undesirable sort from Germany and Scandinavia could never be successfully defended. W. A. Stone (rep.) of Pennsylvania, the author of the Stone bill, explained its provisions and advocated its passage. The country, he argued, had long suffered from unreasonable Immigration. In places in his own state there were localities where the English language was not spoken and where English newspapers were not read. The laws were neither understood nor respected.

Mr. Corliss (rep.) of Michigan submitted an argument in favor of his bill for the exclusion of foreigners who crossed the frontiers each year to compete with American labor. He read the testimony of inspection agents and others along the Canadian border as to the evil effects of the annual influx of the Canadian “birds of passage.” Mr. Morse (rep.f of Massachusetts favored the McCall bill. He said that there was a strong demand in the country for radical legislation to restrict immigration and that congress could not afford to disregard it.

Mr. Buck (dem.) of Louisiana, a naturalized German. opposed the restriction of immigration. The American republic was founded on a spirit of the broadest humanity. America for the world, as Washington and Jefferson taught, was what he wanted. America was big enough to take all who would come. The educational test it was proposed to impose was an insidiuos proposition.

IN THE SENATE. District of Colombia Appropriation Bill Passed —Carries $7,300,000. Washington, May 20.—The senate Tuesday passed the District of Columbia appropriation bill, carrying approximately $7,300,000. A debase on the question of appropriations for sectarian purposes cropped out on the paragraph making apropriations for charities in the district. * On a vote the senate sustained the committee in providing specific appropriations for numerous private charitable institutions, some of them of a sectarian character. A fur ther provision was adopted for an investigation into the charity system of the district, with a view to- ascertaining what, if any, part of the public appropriations are used for church purposes.

Petitions for One Cent Postage. Washington, May 20.—Members of the Illinois congressional delegation on both sides of the capitol have received petitions favoring a reduction of letter postage to one cent an ounce and amendments to the postal laws in regard to second class mail matter. These petitions are not confined to Illinois, but are pouring in from all parts of the country. No Hope for an Agreement Soon. Washington, May 20.—1 tis likely nothing will be accomplished this week in the way of an agreement between the house and senate conferees regarding the battleships and other items of disagreement- in the naval appronriation bill.