Grover Cleveland: “I return without approval Senate bill No. 1017, entitled 'An act granting a pension to Stephen Schiedel.'”

A careful examination of this bill has convinced me that for the reasons given and others not specifically stated its provisions are unnecessarily harsh and oppressive.

The ability to read and write, as required in this bill, in and of itself affords, in my opinion, a misleading test of contented industry and supplies unsatisfactory evidence of desirable citizenship or a proper apprehension of the…

In my opinion, it is infinitely more safe 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…

The time is quite within recent memory when the same thing was said of immigrants who, with their descendants, are now numbered among our best citizens.