The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-07-03
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NArUnALIzAr1oN AND CIrIzENsHIp

The Constitution of the United States,
in Section of Article l., gives to the
Congress the power ''tO establish an uni
form rule of naturalization" Under this
provision the Congress of the United
States has enacted certain laws, which
are to be found in the Revised Statutes,
and one of which makes a residence of
five years necessary to citizenship. But
the Constitution also says that the quail
fications for voters for Representatives
in Congress shall be the same as those
for electors of the most numerous branch
of the State Legislatures. Innearly half
the States foreigner may vote upon one
years residence after declaring his in
tentiOn to become a citizen; that is, he
may vote for four years before he is
citizen. In six States a residence of six
months is required of an alien before he
may vote; and in Minnesota the proba-
tionary period is only four months,
These facts are brought out i'll an arti-
Gle by Mr.. Andrew Powell in that ster-
ling patriotic weekly, american, and
made the basis of a thoughtful and we'll
considered argument for revision of
the naturalization laws by the Congress.
Mr. Powell contends that, in view of the
character of our present immigration, it
would not be unreasonable to insist that
no alien should be admitted to citizen
ship
First-Who cannot read, write and
speak our language understandingly; or,
Second-Who is pauper, criminal or
Anarchist; or,
Third-Who is ignorant of the funda-
mental principles on which this republic
is founded; or,
Fourth-Who will not swear to main
tain the laws and government of his
| adopted country against the claims of
all other powers, whether temporal or
ecclesiastical; or,
Fifth-WhO has not resided in the
United Srates fourteen years.
Under the present State laws, the re-
quirement of Section 2,l70 of the Revised
Statutes, that 'nO alien shall be admitted
to become citizen who has not for the
continued term of five years next preced-
ing his admission resided within the
United States" is evaded and practically
nullified. The foreigner who is allowed
to vote upon the declaration of his inten-
ton to become citizen exercises a citi-
zen's functions, and is to all intents and
perpOses made citizen at once. This
ought not so to be.
Furthermore, the present admission of
aliens to citizenship, as conducted in
many of our courts, is mere form. The
man swears that he is attached to the
principles of our Government without
knowing and without being asked what
those principles are.
1t is time that this indiscriminate
naturalization should stop. America
for Americans" in the right sense of
those words, is a good motto-America
for those who are at heart Americans,
who are attached to our institutions and
ready to uphold them and to forswear all
allegiance to all other sovereignties what
soever. 1t would be well if the Congress-
should take measures to prevent further
evasion of the National statutes and to
enforce more stringent rule for natural
ization. The matter is clearly within
their jurisdiction, and further action
upon it is clearly needed.-Mdil and En-
press.