arge unless the immigrant is capable of their support. The
contrary is very often true. And yet if unable to read and write, though
quite able and willing to support themselves and their relatives here
besides, they could not be admitted under the provisions of this bill
if the immigrant was impoverished, though the aid of his fortunate but
illiterate relative might be the means of saving him from pauperism.

The fourth section of this bill provides--

That it shall be unlawful for any male alien who has not in good faith
made his declaration before the proper court of his intention to become
a citizen of the United States to be employed on any public works of the
United States or to come regularly or habitually into the United States
by land or water for the purpose of engaging in any mechanical trade or
manual labor for wages or salary, returning from time to time to a
foreign country.

The fifth section provides--

That it shall be unlawful for any person, partnership, company, or
corporation knowingly to employ any alien coming into the United States
in violation of the next preceding section of this act.

The prohibition against the employment of aliens upon any public works
of the United States is in line with other legislation of a like
character. It is quite a different thing, however, to declare it a crime
for an alien to come regularly and habitually into the United States for
the purpose of obtaining work from private parties, if such alien
returns from time to time to a foreign country, and to constitute any
employment of such alien a criminal offense.

When we consider these provisions of the bill in connection with our
long northern frontier and the boundaries of our States and Territories,
often but an imaginary line separating them from the British dominions,
and recall the friendly intercourse between the people who are neighbors
on either side, the provisions of this bill affecting them must be
regarded as illiberal, narrow, and un-American.

The residents of these States and Territories have separate and especial
interests which in many cases make an interchange of labor between their
people and their alien neighbors most important, frequently with the
advantage largely in favor of our citizens. This suggests the
inexpediency of Federal interference with these conditions when not
necessary to the correction of a substantial evil, affecting the general
welfare. Such unfriendl