Practical Argumentation Part 15

IV. _Make each statement as concise as is consistent with clearness_.

V. _Indicate the relation between statements by indentation and by the use of symbols_.

VI. _Mark each statement with only one symbol_.

RULES FOR THE INTRODUCTION.

VII. _Put into the introduction sufficient explanation for a complete understanding of the discussion. This explanation usually involves (a) a definition of terms, (b) an explanation of the meaning of the proposition, (c) a statement of the issues, and (d) the part.i.tion_.

VIII. _Put into the introduction only statements admitted by both sides_.

RULES FOR THE DISCUSSION.

IX. _Phrase each princ.i.p.al statement in the discussion so that it will read as a reason for the truth or the falsity of the proposition_.

X. _Phrase each subordinate statement in the discussion so that it will read as a reason for the truth of the statement to which it is subordinate. The connectives to be used are: as, because, for, and since_.

XI. _Make no unsupported statements unless they are generally admitted to be true_.

XII. _After all evidence state in parentheses the source from which it came_.

XIII. _Phrase refutation so that the argument to be answered is clearly stated_.

RULE FOR THE CONCLUSION.

XIV. _Put into the conclusion a summary of the essential points established in the discussion_.

MODEL BRIEF.

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

AFFIRMATIVE BRIEF.

INTRODUCTION.

I. The question of further restricting immigration to the United States by an educational test gains in importance from the alleged impairment of American inst.i.tutions and standards by immigration.

II. The following explanations will aid in the discussion of the question:--

A. Immigration to the United States means the migrating of people into the United States for the purpose of permanent residence. (Century Dictionary.)

B. The restrictive measures now in force are as follows:--

1. Idiots, insane persons, paupers, convicts, diseased persons, anarchists, polygamists, women for immoral purposes, a.s.sisted aliens, contract laborers, and the Chinese are excluded. (Statutes of the United States.)

2. A head tax of four dollars is imposed. (Ibid.)

C. The proposed restrictive measure is as follows:--

1. Every immigrant to the United States between the ages of fifteen and fifty must be able to read and write a few sentences of some language. (Congressional Record, Vol.

XXVIII, page 5421.).

III. The points to be determined seem to be:--

A. Is there a need for further restriction of immigration?

B. If there is such a need, would the educational test accomplish this further restriction in a proper manner?

DISCUSSION.

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

A. The character of the immigrants since 1880 has greatly changed for the worse, for

1. Before 1880 most of the immigrants were earnest, energetic people from northern and western Europe. (International Encyclopaedia, under Immigration.)

2. At the present time seventy and one-half per cent. of the total number of immigrants are from the unenergetic people of southern and eastern Europe. (Ibid.)

3. More immigrants have become paupers than was formerly the case, for

a. Prior to 1880 there were comparatively few paupers among the immigrants. (Ibid.)

b. At present the percentage of pauperism among the foreigners here is four times as great as among the natives. (Ibid.)

4. While the Germans, English, and other immigrants from northern Europe who came here before 1880 were moral and upright, the present immigrants from southern Europe have a low code of morals, for

a. The moral degeneracy of the races of southern Europe is well known. (Henry Rood, Forum, Vol. XIV, page 116.)

5. Crime among foreigners in this country has increased immensely, for

a. In 1905 twenty-eight per cent, of our criminals were of foreign birth. (Report of the Commissioner-General of Immigration for 1905.)

6. Illiteracy among immigrants has greatly increased, for

a. In 1905 the percentage of illiterates of foreign birth was twenty-six. (Ibid.)

b. Many of the present immigrants are illiterates from southern Italy. (S. E. Moffett, Review of Reviews, Vol. 28, page 55.)

B. The condition of the cities and especially of their slum districts is alarming, for

1. The number of immigrants is increasing astonis.h.i.+ngly, inasmuch as,

a. 8,385 immigrants arrived in 1820.