Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-19
LINDERMULpER'S CITIZENSHIP.
A Holiandsr Explains How He Can
Become Qualified.

EDITOR HERALD--Am | citizen?
The above question Is OF enough i'm
portance 10 deserve an answer. especi-
ally now, when the question OF citizen
ship Is agltatlng our citizens since two
of the recently elected officers are al
legged not 10 he citizens, and, OF course,
are ineligible TO hold the Offices TO
which the voters had elected them.
Without going into the particulars of
the various processes whereby person
becomes citizen according TO law, We
Will confine our remarks To the case OF
Superyisor-elect Aune Lindermulder OF
the tenth ward, whose citizenship is
brought III question; although he has
resided in this city since 1871 and took
out his first papers, or DECLARATION OK
intention" certificate. January Il, 1878,
without dong anything more towards
completing bis Intention OF becoming
citizen, neglectirg to take Gu. his
"citisen papers" as the Law provides he
should have done. in order TO be clt-
zen now. According to the letter of
the declaration Of intention" cert
ficste, obtained by Mr.. Liniermulder in
1873 and sworn tn by him before
VIM. II. Van Leeuwen, deputy county
clerk, in the Office Of the county clerk,
Hobart H. Chapman, Mr.. Linder,nuIder
become entitled to the charter election
privileges accorded TO him according
TO the laws of the state he resided IN,
not to the general election laws OF the
United States, or parent government,
SO called. He could not mold office
under the general law of the constitu-
ton Of the United States, which pro-
vides as folIow0:
Sec.2lT0. mo alien'shall be admitted
TO become a citizen who has not for the
continued term of five years next pre-
ceding his admission resided within the
United States. Revised Statutes Of
the United States.
But will the above Law debar Mr..
Lindemuldtr from assuming the otfice
and performing the duties pertaining
to the position? Tho writer of this
article, himself = "naturalized citizen,"
believes not. Although Mr.. Under
mulder has sat on the fence that d.
yides this country from Holland. and
sat there Tor nineteen years. after he
declared his intention to become citi-
zen OF the United States, with his
back toward his native land and face
| towards the western sky OF the land OF
his intended adoption, without making
an effort to comply with the conditions
of the law of the land which would
entitle him to hold Office as well as
voting therein. The above law will not
be operative until Mr.. Llndermulder
attempts to qualify for the Office 10
| which the voters have elected him, and
all he has TO do Is to take out his final
papers, to which he is entitled. having
resided five years previous to this time
when his citizenship IL questioned. The
law does not prohibit the candidacy for
an Office. it only prohibits the holding
OF the office in case q person has not
the necessary qualifications enttling
him to c.tizenship. Get off tho fence,
Mr.. Lindermulder, take out your final
| or "citizen papers," before the circuit
court judge OF Kent county and quail
| ify immediately, before the first day
OF May, and we will extend our hand
OF citizenship to you, recognizing you
rs supervisor of the tenth ward, sn
Office TO which the voters have ELECTED
you. but can not hold according TO the
spirit OF the law above quoted unless
You take out your final "cltzen pa
pers." J. w. Y. l..