New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-25
RAPID NATURALIZATTON.
THE SPEED IN THE STATE COURTS.
JUDGE ADDISON BROWNS MORE THOROUGH Ex-
ANIMATION OF THE FITNESS OF CANDIDATES.

JUDGE ADDISON BROWNS MORE THOROUGH EX-
ANIMATION OF THE FITNESS OF CANDIDATES.
The manufacture of citizens Of the rapid transit
ran came 10 close Oh Friday in the Superior and
Common Pleas courts and will not be resumed until
after the election The law is that persons must be
naturalzed at least ten day. before the elecuon II
they wish 10 vote, and yesterday was not within that
limit The Tammany clerks had been WORKING haru
f,r a week or two, o little rest was allowed them
Yesterday In the United states District Court how
ever Judge Addison sat for over four hours eA
aiming the qualifications Of applicants for natural
izanOn.
The contrast between the methods in use in the
state and United States courts Is STIRLING judge
McAdam in the Superior Court, in day Of five work
ing hours has naturalized 600 persons. Judge
Brown Yesterday. from a. m. until after O'CLOCK
granted the applications OF only about hundred meH
The state Judge has made the examining OF applicants
and their witnesses a extremely brief aifihr' =
question or and the foreigner has become ci'zen
Judge Brown, on an average, takes almost as much
time in investigating single case as the state Judge
does In looking into five.
Judce McAdam has about the same stereoyped
Questions to put TO al witnesses to the applicant
eligibility He treats all nearly the same Judge
Brown however varies the time and pans he spehd7
on cases II the man and his witness are well dressed
and intelligent. and show in an instant That the ap
plcant is likely to become worthy citizen the judge
spends little time on them II the foreigner WHO
wishes to renounce allegiance to his atherand stupid
looking and cannot talk English, the examination IS
longer ard more searching. In some instances inc
Judge spends much ten minutes on single case
II is the rule in the superior Court to grant appca-
lions to no persons who cannot write ther
own names AS pointed out in The Trb-
une on Friday morning, the payment q
fee to a clerk often the papers in spite OF
the candidates shortcoming in this regard Judge
Brown has no such ironclad rule. His posnon Is that
man who cannot write may be worthy Of citizenship
in spite Of this defect lie always examines sucb
cases with great care and tries to find out who is 10
blame the mans illteacy. If the applicant seems
10 be honest and intelligent and prevented from
getting an education by poverty. the Judge regards him
as an object Of pity to some extent at least II the
would be citizen shows particular worthness Of the
elective franchise and appears that he himself is TO
blame for not knowing how to write, the Judge at
once refuses to make him citizen. y man who de
sres to become naturaized must be attached 10 the
Constitution of the United states Judge Brown doe
not ask every applicant If he has read the Constitution
but he often puts that question When the man
write his name. he is always asked If the Con
stitutOn has been read to him.
OF course, if Judge McAdam is TO pass on 600 ap-
plicants in one day he cannot spend even minute
on each case The remedy is TO assign judges 10
the work, to nstualze fewer each day. The great
majority of the applicants 20 10 the State courts be
cause the fee there is only so cents. In the United
accordance with the United states statutes These Do
not mention the fee for naturalization Specifically but
tine clerks charge the amount nNed by law for the
service in other connections. some persons are
wiling TO pay the extra so cents because they think
that TO have the seal Of the United states on their
certificate worth that much more than 70 have the
seal of the State. Others prefer the United states
Court on account Of the saving IL tine; .
The State courts derive their authority 10 issue
certificates Of naturalization from act Of Congress
The with which papers are obtained in tls
Superior Court here has lei John l. Davenport, Chic.
Federal Supervisor Of Elections 10 sggst the need Of
calling the attention Of Congress TO the subject.
John Y. McKane, Of Gravesend, Yesterday went bail
for Max sandman In 50 900. The prisoner WAS one
OF those arrested on the charge Of completely in the
naturalization fauds severed bv John l. Davenport
Chief Federal Supervisor of Elections