The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1891-07-04
Democratic primaries today, July 4, from
from to o'clock p. m.
A Great Object Lesson.
From the Review of Reviews for June.

From the Review of Reviews for June.
The New Orleans incident has continued TO hold
the public attention as the central theme of the
year. and it bids fair to have proven itself the most
significant and fruitful event, an object lesson,
that has for long time affected the real life of the
American people. Out of it is emerging revival of
Americanism. The blinded eyes of millions of
American citizens are suddenly opening to a
perception of the folly and danger of further en-
enlargement of undesirable immigration. If
America owes anything to the world 1t owes rst of
all the duty of preserving at their highest and best
the fundamental institutions of American society
and government Yet we have been not only al
lowing but even actively stimulating, by free gifts
OF our public lands and by various other means the
influx of hundreds of thousands of people of alien
races and strange languages, and have been giving
the privileges of full citizenship to these people, re-
gardless of all questions 10 their fitness. So little
value have we seemed to set upon American citi-
zenship in giving away its privileges that the new
corners themselves have received the investture
with careless indifference. In many States all that
is required of an immigrant is a few months resi-
dence and declaration of intention to become a
naturalized citizen. In Minnesota, for example,
the period is only four months. A company of
Czech or Polish or Italian pauper laborers, abso-
utely iliterate and of undesirable morals, may
rive in Minnesota in time to participate in the No
vember elections for local, State and Federal Off
GERS. In various States the period of residence is
six months-two months longer than in Minnesota.
As an illustration of the scandalous cheapness at
which our citizenship is held, let it be said that
these new corners in hundreds of thousands of in
stances never take the trouble to complete their
naturalization by obtaining their second papers"
at the end of the requisite five years term of resi-
dence. Having once declared their intention, they
are permitted to act citizens and there the pro-
cess rests. 1t is time that American citizenship
were conferred upon foreigners only as proud
distinction in cases of approved merit The test
should include thorough knowledge of our polii-
cal system; good speaking, reading, and writing
acquaintance with the English language; an indus
trial standing well removed from pauperism, and
record anteeedent and present. that is wholly free
from criminal stain. The several States should de.
cline henceforth TO admit foreigners to political
privileges until they have completed their naturali-
zation as American citizens. 1t is a shameful
scandal that any OF the New Orleans Mafates had
been admitted to American citizenship; but it is
even more scandalous and shameful that there
should have been so great uncertainty as to which
were citizens and which were not. In olden times
it light thing to be allowed to call ones sell
Roman citizen. The American people are awaken
ing TO the necessity OF putting value on American
citizenship. We have just witnessed the spectacle
OF numerous Italian born residents who in spite OF
their oath of allegiance to the United States, have
been making reasonable appeals to the government
of Italy to take measures against their adopted
country. They remain Italians in spirit, language
and sympathy. Some definite and comparatively
stringent check should be placed upon immigration,
and the naturalization laws and methods especially
should undergo complete reconstruction.
Democratic primaries today, July 4, from
from to I o'clock n m