WESTERN HEMISPHERE IMMIGRATION 111

Mr. McInnis. There is the picture. A large part of Mexico was
taken into the United States. It was settled by Mexicans, and now,
In the State of New Mexico, at this time, much of the legislative
work is carried through interpreters, and the court proceedings are
carried on in large measure through interpreters speaking Spanish
and English.
The CrarrMaN. Is that all right?
Mr. McInnis. Itis a condition which exists; and in order to change
that condition you must depopulate that country—you must eliminate
the best spirits, and the most intelligent business men in that
country—I am speaking particularly of New Mexico—if you are going
to eliminate all those who are of Spanish extraction. They are not
recent immigrants; and they do not consider themselves Mexicans;
and they are not Mexicans. They are citizens of the United States;
and they are good citizens of the United States; and they are entitled
to the protection of citizenship in the United States, as much as I am,
or as much as any other man is.
Some mention was made a moment ago of literacy. As a matter
of fact a Mexican can not come into this country under our law without
 passing a literacy test.
Mr. Scuaneper. Do you admit that they come in in violation of
the law?
Mr. McInnis. If they come in in violation of the law, I do not
know anything about it. ;
Mr. ScanemEer. Do you say that all the Mexicans who come into
this country pass the literacy test?
Mr. McInnis. However that may be, the situation will not be
cured by the passage of this contemplated law. If they come in in
violation of the law at the present time, they will come in in violation
of the law if you pass this bill. You would not have them under
police vigilance; you would not have the opportunity to examine
those who come in to see whether they were laden with disease; you
would not have the opportunity to discover whether they were literate
or illiterate; you would not have the opportunity to discover whether
they carried any plant pests or not; you would have no opportunity
in the world to police the situation and thus discover whether they
were, or were not, suitable to enter the United States.
The Caamrman. Just why?
Mr. McInnis. The suggestion was made that they come in in
violation of law.
The Cratrman. You think they do not?
. Mr. McInnis. I do not know whether they do or not. I have an
tdea a good many of them do.
Mr. ScuNEipER. Do you think they all come in in compliance with
the laws, do you?
Mr. McInnis. I am contending that we are discussing here a bill
hich is intended to bar them. We now have a condition of law
which undertakes to bar them unless they meet certain conditions.
Your suggestion is—and I rather think you are correct—you know
more about it than I do—but vour suggestion is that despite our
Present law they get in here without obeying the law as it is now
written. 1 say if that is true they will get in here in spite of the law
which vou are now attempting to write.