CANADA & THE STATES LOSS OF WESTERN. FARMERS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 75, 30 March 1914, Page 3

CANADA & THE STATES LOSS OF WESTERN. FARMERS

OFFICIAL IRRITATION. LITERACY TEST FOR IMMIGRANTS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) SAN FRANCISCO, 3rd March. While some members of Congress are bent upon placing further restrictions on emigration to this country, particularly from Asia and Southern Europe, others appear to be greatly disturbed at the efforts made to tempt Americana to leave the (Jiiited States. In the past two years Victoria has devoted considerable attention to Western America as a field for immigrants, and Canada maintains a perennial campaign amongst Americar farmers. A committee of the Federal Senate _ has been investigating the activ : ties of the agents of Canada, and one of its members — Senator Nelson — exploded with wrath when he learned that American newspapers ljad published the adveitisernents of the Canadians. Mr. Alfred Washington, advertising manager of the Western Newspapei Union, who admitted having handled some £8000 of the Canadian money, was severely and publicly excoriated by the senator. "You were hired by a foreign Government to do an act of disloyalty to your own country," asserted Senator Nelson. "Are you not ashamed?" Mr. Washington said he did not think it unpatriotic or disloyal to circulate the matter complained of. The attitude of Senator Nelson does not seem to get much support from the press. "Canada is not a bad country," remarks the New York Telegiaph. "Some day the United States will annex Canada, and it i 3 not a bad idea 1 to have a few hundred thousand of your own people already in the section." In its investigation of the northward move of American farmers the Senate has discovered that Canada spends about £12,000 advertising in the country newspapers of the United States, and in the lasbten years has drawn over her borders some 800,000 American citizens. The Canadian Government's advertising agent appeared before the committee, and made a very frank statement. He said : "Wo have done a great deal of advertising in lowa, with good results, but we have not lassoed anybody, and I believe that, on the whole, those who have gone to Canada from lowa have been benefited. They sold their farms in lowa at a much higher price per acre than they could obtain ' just as good lands for in Canada, and in that way have enlarged their holdings, and I have heard little or no complaint from them. We try to aid would-be emigrants by pointing out the best agricultural lands and assisting them to locate." It has been claimed in this country that nearly as many people drift into the tiUnitea States each year from Canada as cross the border northerly, but the Canadian Immigration Department, in an official statement, denies this. There is always more or less of tension in the relations of the public officials of the two nations, and this controversy certainly will do nothing to lessen it. President Wilson is understood to ha.ye stated that if tho Immigration Bill now before Congress is sent to him for signatures with the so-called literacy test in it he will veto the measure. Two years ago such a Bill was passed, and President Taffc vetoed it on the same grounds, arguing that mere ability to read does not prove a foreigner's fitness for citizenship. The Bill ' as it now stands, having passed the House of Representations ahfl awaiting consideration by tho Senate, provides that no alien shall be admitted to the United States unless he is able- to read in some European language or the \itiuish language. Unquestionably such a law would markedly reduce the numbers of aliens annually admitted, and probably would keep out many of the unintelligent, ignorant class who congregate ia the large cities' and are a, clog to progress. Based on tho immigration figures for the year ending HOth June. 1913, a literacy te«t would clos© t)ie doors of the United States to more than one- fourth of the foreignere offering themselves for admission The year in question brought to America almost the biggest total of aliens in the history of the country. The total for the fiscal year was 1.197,872, an increase of 359,720 over the previous year. Twenty-six per cent, of the aliens admitted are classed by the immigration authorities as "totally illiterate," and under a literacy test would have been turned back. The bulk of the immigration came from the countries of southern and eastern Europe, whence the least desirable class of aliens emanates. Only 15 per cent, came from northern and western Europe. A contribution to the discussion that may bear fruit is made by Anthony Caminetti, the Commissioner-General ol Immigration. \He suggests that physical tests be applied to immigrants similar to those in use in the United States army. This, it is pointed out, would at least ensure Jtness for the hard work at which most of the new arrivals are set. On the matter of Asiatic emigration Commissioner Caminetti has shown himself quite out of harmony, with the Federal Administra-tion,-of which he is an official. WhTle President Wilson and Secretary 'of State Bryan are opposed to specific legislation excluding Hindus and Japanese, Caminetti is urging Congress to pass such laws. It is not unlikely that Caminetti will resign from the Federal Service and run for Governor of California, ot which State he. is a resident.