The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1888-05-17
OUR wAsHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, d. c., May 14.-Num-
erous complaints have been made to
the State Department by Frenchmen
who have become citizens of the United
States by complying with the require
ments of our naturalization laws, and
who have afterwards, upon visiting
France, been impressed into the French
military service. When the matter has
been brought to the attention of the
French Minister his reply has uniform
ly been in effect that the question of
allegiance was one over which the ad-
ministratiOn had no Jurisdiction, and
which must be settled by the courts.
He declares that, under French princi-
pies. citizenship is conferred by paren-
tage, and that expatriatiOn of the
French citizen requires the consent of
the French government. In reply to
this proposition the Secretary of State
insists that the proofs Of citizenship of
this country are not open to impeach-
ment by any foreign government; and
he has demanded the instant release of
all such impressed citizens, with COM
pensation for their detention. and that
under no circumstances will the Unit
ed States admit of the propriety of sub
hitting the question involved to the
delays incident to judicial action; just
what the outcome of this controversy
will be it is difficult at this time to con-
lecture. The secretary has submitted
all of the correspondence to the Senate,
with the request that the matter will
receive their immediate attention.
1t has at last been decided that we
are to have a Geological garden at the
national capital. Congress has appro-
priated the necessary funds for defray-
ing the preliminary expenses, and
'WOrkmen are engaged in constructing
buildings for the temporary accommO-
dalton of the herds of buffalo, deer and
other animals that have been ordered
from the west. Prof. William T. Horn
,aday, who for several years past has
held the position of chief taxidermist at
the national museum, has been ap-
pointed curator of the garden, and as
he is an enthusiast upon the subject of
the natural history of animals, and is
to have general supervision; it may be
safely predicted that the government
will soon find itself in possession Of as
fine a geological collection as can be
found in any of the foreign countries.
The buildings which are now being
constructed for temporary use are with
in the park surrounding the Smithson-
ian Institute, but the garden viii event.
ually be established in the beautiful
fdlIc4 VI nOCk CECch west VI L1c City
and will be made accessible by extend
| ing the present street car lines.
A good precedent is about to be es-
tablished by the government. A bill
has been introduced in the senate ap-
propriating $4,000 to put the de-
partment telegraph and telephone wires
under ground, and $500 to put all
wires within the District out of sight.
] he net work of wires which disfigure
the streets of our large cities are daily
being condemned on account of their
danger to life and limb and because of
their interference with the work of the
fire department in checking the spread
of fire. In Washington these wires
have long been source of annoyance,
as besides disiguring the streets, their
extension has frequently necessitated
injury to shade trees and other proper
ty. 1t is much more economical to
provide at this time for laying the wires
under ground than it would be to delay
for longer time, and if this is done at
the national capital it may result in ac-
compliShing some good in other cities
in the way of inducing the municipal
authorities t. adopt the same sensible
course. H.