The excerpt most clearly supports the conclusion: a. Nativist sentiment was on the rise at the turn of the century.
The excerpt from Hon. William Williams, a commissioner in New York, strongly supports the conclusion that nativist sentiment was on the rise at the turn of the century. Williams expresses concern about a group of immigrants, highlighting their perceived undesirability due to factors such as low intelligence, poor physical health, and adverse effects on the American wage worker's standard of living.
His remarks underscore a growing nativist perspective that favored native-born citizens and viewed certain immigrants negatively, reflecting a broader trend of anti-immigrant sentiment during the early 20th century in the United States.
Hence, option A is the answer.
The complete question is:
Which conclusion does this excerpt most clearly support? hon. william williams, commissioner at new york, says in his report: "[the present laws] do not reach a large body of immigrants who, while not of this class, are yet generally undesirable, because unintelligent, of low vitality, of poor physique, able to perform only the cheapest kind of manual labor, desirous of locating almost exclusively in the cities, by their competition tending to reduce the standard of living of the american wageworker, and unfitted mentally or morally for good citizenship. . . . their coming has been of benefit chiefly, if not only, to the transportation companies which brought them here." a. nativist sentiment was on the rise at the turn of the century. b. americanization efforts among immigrants in the late 1800s quelled discontent. c. immigration restrictions in the early 20th century induced job growth. d. industrialization spurred demand for immigration in the late 19th century.