Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-19

Yet when turn away man so ignorant
that he cannot tell whether this country ia
governed by King, Emperor or Preside ct,
and has not read the Constitution or card
il read, and does not know what bodies
make the laws; or q man who answers
that his church or his society shall control
his actions, and not the laws of the coun-
try; or one who proclaims himself an An
archist, know that that mln can 90 to
another county in this State where no
questions of the nature suggested in this
article will be asked him, and where with
proof of a residence for the required time,
and the stereotyped answers of the wit
nesses shat he has behaved as a good
moral man, and is attached to the princi-
pies of the Constitution of the United
States. and is well-disposed to the good or
der and happiness of the same" he will be
admitted to citizenship. The Judge be-
| lieves himself satisfied. We have the same
law to govern US, and our proceedings in
the same matter should be carried on in
something near the same way. There is
evidently something radically wrong here.
Either the Judge in the other county re-
| quires too little or | require too much.
| Uniformity should be the rule.
| To-day turned away two applicants for
citizenship because they had no conception
whatever of the kind of government this
| is. The first one was asked by whom the
| United States is governed, and what is the
title of the ruler? and he could not tell.
In answer to further questions he said he
did not know by whom or by what bodies
the laws are made, and he had never read
the Constitution or heard it read or dis
cussed, and knew nothing about it. The
other, with possibly ray more CT intelli-
gence, thought Harrison was the ruler but
| was not certain, and had most forgotten"
but thought the title was President. When
asked who made the laws, he thought they
were made by the Vice President. He had
not read the Constitution, and had heard
nothing about it. Reputable citizens APP
peared as witnesses in each case and
proved that the applicants had resided in
the United States over five years and in the
State more than one year. They testified
| that both men were we'll behaved, of good
moral character, attached to the principles
of the Constitution and well-disposed to
the good order and happiness of the coun-
| try. But the statements of the applicants
| show the absurdity of the testimony of the
witnesses as to attachment to the princi-
pies of the Constitution, etc. How can a
man be attached to a thing or a set of prin-
ciples which he knows absolutely nothing
about, and possibly never heard of before?
How can it be said a man is well-disposed
towards a Government when he does not
know how or by whom it is governed nor
| how its laws are made?
| The statements of witnesses on such
matters are mere opinions, and when the
actual facts are disclosed, showing differ
| ent state of affairs, are entitled to no
weight whatever. But an election is COM
| ing on, and it therefore becomes important
that these men should become u0terS, and
they can be carried to some other county
where they can be admitted and mo ques-
tons asked"
One of the witnesses expressed his regret
at the inability of the men 10 'get in, as
be phrased it, because they would have
voted the clean - ticket, which might
| be some little indication, in this case at
least. that the right TO vote was the sole OBJ
| ject of becoming naturalized.
For fear that some one might conclude
''that the Judge was political opponent,
and was trying to keep down the supposed
- majority in this State" will say
that l am of the political faith indicated by
| the expression of the witness.
1t is not my purpose to criticize the ac-
tons of any Judge, nor do l intend that
anything said in this article shall be treated
| as criticism; but am constrained to say
| that while l know our naturalization laws
are not what many good people would like
| them to be, great many OF the evils COM
planned of might be remedied by more
careful administration of the laws we have,
not only by the Judiciary, but by the citi-
zsns who are called upon as witnesses in
| such matters.
1t is no argument against requiring the
alien to show some knowledge of this Gov
eminent when he asks for citizenship, to
| say we have thousands of native born who
have never read the Constitution of the
United States, and do not know by whom
our laws are made. 1t is matter of choice
with the alien whether he becomes citi-
zen or not, while the native has no choice,
and therefore no conditions are or can be
! imposed.
Besides, intelligence on the part of the
alien is required, for the purpose of deter
mining whether it is possible for him to be
attached to the fundamental principles I'M
derlying our system of government, and
that the Judge may know he is well dis
posed to the good order and happiness of
the republic.
believe all will admit that in order to
be attached to anything one must have
some knowledge of it, and that before it
can be said he is well disposed to the good
order and happiness of a country and gov
eminent, it is essential that he should ex-
hib1t some degree of knowledge of the in
situations of that country.
1t must not be understood that the ques-
| tons suggest to be asked the applicant
| are the only ones proper or necessary to
| ask. The answers will often suggest, and
even make necessary, other questions.
If voting and holding Office are the only
incentives TO becoming naturalized citizens,
and fear they are in very many cases,
| then we have further excuse or reason
for asking many of these questions.
Let none imagine that an aliens religion
has anything to do with his naturalization,
or his failure to be admitted, for in this
land of religious freedom, it can make no
difference what religion he has espoused,
or whether any. He may be Mormon a
Jew, Protestant, q Catholic, Moham-
medan, Boodbist or an inGdel; all we are
concerned about is, will he at all times,
and under all circumstances, support and
defend the Constitution of the United
States, and with it all the principles on
which the republic stands.
In conclusion, will say that 1 am we'll
aware the course have suggested as the
proper one to be followed in administering
the naturalization laws, will receive the
condemnation of the few patriotic citizens
who are always most active before an
election in making voters" as they term
| it, for their respective parties. And l i'm
| agine that they will condemn because OF
their knowledge of the gross ignorance on
the part of many of those who are to
apply, as to our form of government, its
Constitution and its workings.
But to all such let me say that in your
patriotic zeal to make citizens, you have no
right to neglect the education of these
children School them in the principles
of our Constitution the time thus en-
ployed will be lost on neither teacher nor
pupil.
The question might here be very prop
erly asked, why is the probationary resi-
dence of five years prescribed, if not to give
the alien sufficient time IN which to learn
of our form of government and its institu-
tions2
Those who have studied our government
and know what it is, and the principles
upon which it is based, and have made up
their minds 10 become citizens because of
| their attachment to these principles, and
because of their love for our institutions,
i