The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-12-16

G IS at least question. Ia some cases
: the provisions Of the treaties furnish
: some guide; in others it seems left q
the persons claiming the benefit ol
: citizenship while living in a foreign
country, contributing in no manner
to the performance Of the duties Of a
citizen Of the United States and
without Intention at any time to re-
turn and undertake those duties to
use the claims Of citizenship of the
United States simply as a shield
from the performance Of the oblipa-
tions Of citizen elsewhere. The
status of children born Of American
! parents residing in q foreign country.
of American women who have been
married to aliens, Of American citi-
zens residing abroad, where such
Question is not regulated by treaty,
are ali questions Of freqnent difficulty
and discussion. Legislation on these
and similar questions, and particu-
llarly defining when and under what
circumstances expatriation can be ac-
complisbed, it is to be presumed, is
especially needed
FRAUDULENT NATURALIZATION.
I In this connection / earnestly call
the attention 5of Congress to the diff
ficulties arising from fraudulent nat
uraIizstion. The United Stat, wise
Ily, freely and literally offers its citi-
zenship to all who NAV come ia good
faith to reside within its limits, on
their complying with certain prescrib-
cd reasonable and simple formslities
and conditions. Among the highest
duties of the Government is that to
afford warm. efficient and equal pro-
lection to all it's citizens, whether na-
tive born or naturalized. Care should
be taken that a right carrying with it
such support from the Government
should not be fraudulently obtained,
and shonId be bestowed onlv upon
I full proof of compliance with the
law; and vet there are frequent in
stances of illegal and fraudulent nat
uralization and Of the unauthorized
use Of certificates thus improperly
obtained. In some cases tie frauds-
lent character of the naturalization
has appeared upon the face of the
certificate itself; in others examina-
ton discloses that the holder had not
complied with the law, and in others
certificates have been obtained where
the persons holding them not only
were not entitled to be naturalized.
but had not even been within the
United States at the time of the pre-
I tended naturalization. Instances Of
each of these classes Of fraud are
discovered at our Legations. where
the certificates of naturalization are
presented either for the purpose
of obtaining passports or in demand
ing the protection OF the legation
When the fraud is apparent on the
face of such, certificates, they are
taken up by the representatives Of
the Government and forwarded to
the Department Of State but even
the record of the court in which the
! fraudulent naturalization occurred re-
mains and duplicate certificates are
readily obtainable. Upon the pre-
sentatiOn of these for the issue of
passports. or in demanding protec-
ton Of the government, the fraud
sometimes escapes notice, and such
certificates are not infrequentlv used
in transaction of business to the de-
eeption and injury Of innocent par
ties Without placing any addition
al obstacles in the wav Of the oh
tsinment of citizenship by the worthy
and we'll intentioned foreigner who
comes in good faith to cast bis lot
with ours. I earnestly recommend
further legislation to punish fFaudu-
lent naturalization, and to secure the
ready cancellation Of the record Of
naturalization made in fraud.
TREATIES RATIFIED.
Since nv last annual message the
the exchange has been made of the
ratification of treaties Of extradition
with Belgium, Ecuador. Perm and
Salvador; also a treaty Of commerce
and navigation with Peru. and one
of commerce and consular privileges
with Salvador. all of which have
been duly proclaimed. as has also
declaration with Russia with refer
ence to trade marks.
GOVERNMENT RECEIPTS AND ExPEN-
DITUREs.
The report of the Secretary Of the
Treasury, which is made directly to
Congress, and forms no part of this
message, will show the receipts and
expenditures of the Government for
the last fiscal year, the amount re
ceived from each source Df re, euue.
and the amount paid out for each of
the departments Of the Government.
Ii will be observed from the report
that the amount of receipts over ex-
penditures has been but S2,344, ,8S2,
for the fiscal year ending June so,
1874, and that for the current fiscal
year the estimated receipts over ex-
penditures will not much exceed nine
millions of dollars. In view of the
large national debt existing, aud the
obligations to add one per cent. per
annum to the sinking fund, a sum
amounting to now over $500, 900 per
annum, / submit whether revenue
should not be increased or expendi-
lures diminished to meet this amount
of surplus Not 10 provide for the
sinking fund is a partial failure TO
comply with the contracts and obi
cations Of the Government
Al the last session of Congress
very considerable reduction was
made. in the rates Of taxa'ion and n
the number of ar,g.es Submitted 20
taxation. The question may well be
asked whether or not, in some in
stances it is unwise- In connection
with this subject / too am Of The
opiaion that the means Of collecting
the revenue, especially from imports,
have been so embarrassed by legisla-
tion as to make it questionable
whether or not large amounts are
not lost by failure 10 collect, to the
direct loss Of the Treasury and 10 the
prejudice Of the interests Of honest
importers and taxpayers. The Sec
lretary Of the Treasury. in bis report,