Practical Argumentation Part 17

4. It would decrease the amount of crime, for

a. It would keep out most of the immigrants from southern Europe, for

1'. Ninety-three per cent, of the illiterates come from this source.

b. The criminal tendencies of people from southern Europe are well known. (Henry Rood, Ibid.)

B. The educational test would improve the condition of the cities, for

1. They would be more sanitary and less criminal, since

a. These evils are due largely to congestion.

b. Under this test the cities would be less congested, for

1'. Immigration would be reduced twenty-two and six tenths per cent.

2'. Educated immigrants are not likely to settle in the slums.

c. If the cities were less congested, charitable societies could remove more evils from the slums, and in time even eliminate the slums.

C. The educational test would aid the country politically, for

1. We should receive only those immigrants who are intellectually capable of becoming good citizens, for

a. Education enables a man to become interested in the government in which he lives.

2. Bribery would cease, for

a. Greed for small amounts of money is not so strong among the intelligent. (Prescott F. Hall, Ibid.)

D. The educational test would aid the work of a.s.similation, for

1. It would bar to a great extent the clannish immigrants, as

a. Clannishness is largely a result of superst.i.tion and ignorance. (Henry Rood, Ibid.)

2. It would practically force the immigrants to learn the English language, for

a. Their clans broken up, they would naturally come in contact more and more with English-speaking people.

3. It would produce among the foreign-born element of the United States a wider interest in civic affairs, for

a. Those who have some education can better appreciate our government than those who are illiterate.

b. It would admit only those who, by reason of their education, small though it may be, have had the chance to study somewhat their home governments. (N.

S. Shaler, Ibid.)

E. The educational test would tend to raise the standards of American labor, for

1. It would cut down compet.i.tion, since

a. It would shut out many laborers, for

1'. Most of those affected by this test would be common laborers.

b. It would tend to equalize the rate of wages, because

1'. Immigrants would not be willing to work for lower wages, for

a'. The slums being gone, they would need more money for existence.

2. It would aid the independence of American labor, for

a. Immigrants would no longer be so reluctant to cooperate with American laborers for protection, for

1'. It is well known that, as a rule, only the most ignorant cla.s.ses refuse to join unions.

b. The low industrial compet.i.tion would be removed, as previously shown.

F. The educational test would be practical, for

1. It is not a test depending upon the representations of immigrants or the decisions of inspectors. (Prescott F.

Hall, Forum, Vol. x.x.x, page 564.)

2. The educational test has worked well in Australia.

(Professor Frank Parsons, Annals of American Academy, Vol. XXIV, page 215.)

G. It would lessen the burden of education for the government, for

1. It would force prospective immigrants to get their elementary education in Europe.

2. The immigrants would have some education as a foundation for more.

CONCLUSION.

The affirmative has proved the following:--

I. There is great need for further restriction of immigration.

II. The educational test would accomplish the further restriction of immigration in a proper manner.

Therefore, immigration to the United States should be further restricted by an educational test.

EXERCISES

State the propositions upheld in the following arguments, and put the material into brief form:--