Our own morals and manners are not firmly enough
fixed to be sure of withstanding the downward pull of more primitive
conceptions and habits. Their willingness to work for small wages
lowers the remuneration of Americans; their contentment with wretched
living conditions blocks our attempts to raise the general standard
of life. Many of them are unappreciative of American ideals, easily
misled by corrupt politicians, and thus a deadweight against political
and social advance. We may, perhaps, disregard the poverty of the
immigrant, if he is in good health and able to work; we may even
disregard his lack of education, if he is mentally sound and reasonably
intelligent. But if some practicable method could be devised to lessen
radically the incoming stream of those who are low in their standards
of living, we should be spared the social indigestion from which we
now suffer. One feasible suggestion is to limit the number of immigrants
annually admitted from each country to a certain small percentage of
the number of natives of that country already resident here. In that
way the total number could be restricted without offense to any nation,
and those peoples most easily assimilated would be admitted in greatest
proportions. In addition, naturalization should be permitted only after
a number of years, during which the immigrant would be in danger of
deportation for proved criminality, vicious indulgence, intemperance,
shiftlessness, troublesome agitation, and other undesirable traits.
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