The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1889-03-22
FRIDAY, MARCH %, 1850.
CITIZENSHIP.

In the earlier years of the settle.
mcnt of this country, the writer WAS
engaged ut work in the Office of the
clerk Of court and had occasion to us.
sist Il great many immigrants to take
the preliminary steps in changing
themselves TO American citizens. 1t
was one drawback to the new Eden
that they found themselves under IL
new government, under the necessity
of taking the oath of citizenship and
renoGncing forever all allegiance to
any foreign power "particularly" TO
the king or queen "whose subjects
they Were" Many u wry face was
made when it was found that land
could not be taken without this oath,
and now and then one would turn
back to the iiesli.pots of Egypt, from
the mama Of the wilderness. While
these latter were but few, it is safe to
say. the great majority would have
omitted that part of the program if it
had not been possible to obtain land
without il. Very few at that time
gave up all hope of returning to the
old home, notwithstanding that they
had pronounced their allegiance" to
its sovereign. Down deep in their
hearts was IL mental reservation, per.
haps hardly formed into words. even
to themselves, that in the dim some.
time, when their fortune was made,
they would return to The land of their
fathers and finish out their days
among the scenes of their childhood.
Since then, the years have rolled on
and time has dimmed the memories
of the land once so dear. In the rush
of active labor, in the opening up of IL
country, and the making up of new
homes, the plans and hopes for the
future, have changed from the dreams
of going back, to the hope of bringing
others out, and, some day. to live un.
der the same laws and same flag with
those that stay behind, even if these
remain in the old home.
In the participation of the active
duties Of citizenship, they have come
tolrarn that the new government, to
which they have sworn allegiance, is
by themselves, of themselves and for
themselves; they have not sworn to
support the car, the emperor or the
sultan, but simply to abide by laws
which they have their fair share in
making, and to defend the country on
whose existence their own greatest
welfare depends. The boy, who ar.
irving ut his majority leaves his
fathers home, abjures his fathers
authority, and goes out his own mas.
ter to build his home, shows his par.
ent no dsrespect, or want of lilial love.
1t is natural, and is better that he
should do it.
When the time comes for the lina
step. after the five years are up, and
second papers are taken, there is little
or 10 reluctance shown like that to be
observed i'm the primary steps. but the
oath is taken freely and heartily, will
the apparent feeling that is the right
thing to do both for the citizen and
the country.
10 native born Americans, it gives
Il feeling of piide to watch this change
and it is joy to welcome the new
citizens to the full participancy OF
equal rights and privileges. 1t mat.
tiers not much to this nation where its
citizens were born. but the question
as TO whether they arc citizens in nil
that the name implies, is of the ut.
most importance. Without citizen.
ship, we would he II heterogeneous in.
choate mass of individuals with re 3.
suits too dire and disastrous to i'm
agine. With citizenship, we are /.
compact, grand and glorious nation.
whose greatest pride is that every
citizen is u king and the equal uf !.
king.