Militant restriction crusades failed for a decade despite widespread sentiment.

Evidence

The most. remarkable aspect of the movement was its repeated failure; it accomplished nothing. Each Congress confronted a flurry of immigration bills. Not one of them of any consequence became law for a decade after the essentially anti-restrictionist measure of 1907. There are few better examples of the toughness and conservatism of American institutions than this steady persistence of a traditional immigration policy in the face of widespread demands for change. In this case, as in many others, the status quo survived blow after blow for two related reasons. Despite the militancy of certain groups, the immigration issue was not yet deeply felt throughout the country as a whole. Restriction sentiment, though general, was not generally intense; a substantial part of the American population seemed to regard the question as one of secondary importance. And in the absence of an imperious, nation-wide clamor, strategically situated minorities could prevent either of the major political parties from committing itself resolutely on the issue. — John Higham, Strangers in the Land, 1108

Categorization

• XREF: Contrast to when mass-mobilized hatred does break through — institutional blockage held while nativism was loud but shallow, suggesting intensity threshold needed for policy capture. — connects to: Christian optimism about converting Muslims faded as crusades and missions failed — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 898

Broader Connections

• Christian optimism about converting Muslims faded as crusades and missions failed #corroborates (0.85) — John V. Tolan, Saracens, 898