The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-29
NATURALIZATION.
An Opinion on the Subject by a
SWiss.Italian Journal.

The following is translation of an edi-
torial published in the Eivezia yesterday.
This Is a weekly journal and recognized as
the organ of the Swiss-Italians of this
State.
The New Orleans tragedy, or rather the pro-
tests from the Italians residing in the United
States. have revived the old question. whether it
law.
On said occasion we have seen that the
majority OF those who protested were not hose
That have remained Italian citizens, but those
who voluntarily had renowned Italian citizen
ship 10 become American citizens
NO great objection could be made to this
because everybody, whether Italian or American
citizens, had the right, if not the duty, to de-
nounce crime such as that OF New Orleans.
The gravity OF the foregoing act consists
in the fact that Italians VINO have acquired
American citizenship have come forward and
requested The intervention OF the Government
they have disciaimed against The people and
the authorities OF The country OF their own
choice.
Without stopping on a subject evident by it.
sell, let US go back 10 the question. whether or
not II would be advantageous to the United
States TO modify their naturalization laws.
Fur our paIt we say emphatically that they
ought 10 be amended. single glance on the
methods through which these natuT alZations
take place may easily convince any one that the
most Of the foreigners who acquire Amer.
can citizenship do not understand the serious
ness OF Tie sIep they are making. On The very
moment OF their arrival at the United States, the
immigrants are taken III mana Dy tue pOllllclanS
who PERSUADE them that IL would be Tor Their great
est interest that they should be made citizens. A
large number of these new arrivals are illterate
people, just out from their villages, who know
nothing neither OF the customs aud laws, nor of
the language of this country, and who believe in
perfect good faith everything told them by
those interested TO make Them citizens. And
thus, citizens they become. Well, tell them that
by their act they have renOunced their own G 0v-
ernment and have forsaken their native country,
they VIII laugh in your face How they can rec
Onclle the contradiction OF being citizens OF TWO
counties At the same time, the Almighty alone
could be able To explain.
OF course there are those who become Amerl-
can citizens fully understanding what they are
about. They do IT, whether because they do not
intend to 90 back TO their native land, OF because
they prefer the institutions of this country, or
because they have political aspirations. IL Is not
OF these that we are speaking. Ii II may happen
that, at some future day, they may have reason
10 repent their act, or may be brought in an
ambiguous plight, as was The case In the New
Orleans affair, this has nothing 10 do with the
question under consider alton. Besides as we
have said, they are the minority.
We intend to SpeaN OF all the others. They
cannot be good American citizens. ASK them.
and they will say that If they succeed In earning
modest competency they mean To return to
their Gid bones; speak TO them in the language
OF the country they have adopted, and they Will
Stammer unintr Eligible words: question them
about the Institutions of the United States, aud,
whether they have resided re nve or ten, or
twenty years, they will show themselves en-
tlrely ignorant OF mere elementary Information.
In regard 10 political aspirations, they have
none being iIlIeraIe. What sort OF citizens can
They be? They are honest people; they are in
dustIiuuS; they are observant OF the laws; but
as citizens they are only tools In the hands OF
those who use them in order to obtain their
votes. AS for The results, we know they are.
This Is sufficient 10 show that 4 law that ad-
mits such class OF citizens ought TO be amend
ed. Ii Is not five but ten or more years that
ought 10 be required 20 have the right OF obtain
ing American citizenship, and, besides, on
he express condition that the aspiTants know
how to read and how to write and are acquainted
with the fundamental principles upon which
stands The political edifce OF the country they
intend to adopt.
This is not question affecting one nationality
more than another. 1t is question that cOu-
Germs alt The immigrants, be they from SwtZer-
land, Italy, Ireland, France from any other
place. And If the Elvezta, In trying TO elucidate
II. may have contributed In a modest way 10 lind
remedy for The present abnormal condition Of
things, which is unknown elsewhere, it will
have done lis share OF good for this country.