ssional paupers of Europe," and they favored the
exclusion of Chinese laborers. They favored, however, the admission of
"industrious and worthy" Europeans.

Selective immigration thus became a political issue in 1892, partly
under the stimulus of labor unions, which feared an over-supply of
labor, and partly because of the growing popular belief that many
undesirable foreigners were entering the country. No adequate and just
criteria for any process of selection have been discovered. In 1896
Senator Lodge introduced an immigration bill, which contained the
famous literacy test, excluding all persons between fourteen and sixty
years of age "who cannot both read and write the English language or
some other language." The bill was simultaneously introduced into the
House of Representatives by McCall of Massachusetts. The debate on
this measure marks a new departure in immigration policy. A senatorial
inquiry made among the States in the preceding year had disclosed a
universal preference for immigrants from northern Europe. Moreover, a
number of States through their governors, had declared that further
immigration was not desired immediately; and the opinion prevailed
that the great influx from southeastern Europe should be checked.
Fortified by such solidarity of sentiment, Congress passed the Lodge
bill with certain amendments. President Cleveland, however, returned
it with a strong veto message on March 2, 1897. He could not concur
in so radical a departure from the traditional liberal policy of the
Government; and he believed the literacy test so artificial that it
was more rational "to admit a hundred thousand immigrants who, though
unable to read and write, seek among us only a home and opportunity to
work, than to admit one of those unruly agitators and enemies of
governmental control who can not only read and write, but delights in
arousing by inflammatory speech the illiterate and peacefully inclined
to discontent and tumult." The House passed the bill over the
President's veto, but the Senate took no further action.

In 1898 the Industrial Commission was empowered "to investigate
questions pertaining to immigration" and presented a report which
prepared the way for the immigration law of 1903, approved on the 3rd
of March. This law, which was based upon a careful preliminary
inquiry, may be called the first comprehensive American immigration
statute. It perfected the administrative machinery, raised the head
ta