The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-11-03

states of the union will have 10 be
changed if the Oates bill, in Congress,
becomes a law, and these states wish to
continue their present loose methods OF
confering the right OF voting upon their
inhabitants. This is no argument
against the bill. however, in fact, it is a
good reason why it should be passed.
The bill, il passed. will not only revolu.
tionize the whole procedure OF making
citizens, but indirectly it will do away
with the possibility OF au alien who has
only a few months before declared his
intention OF becoming citizen voting
for federal officers. That is, it will re-
move this possibility until the states
where it is tolerated have amended
their laws and constitution.
The bill does away entirely with the
process which has heretofore been
known as declaration OF intentions"
In the system at present in operation,
this declaration OF intention to become
a citizen must be made ut least two
years before the alien is admitted to cit
izenship, provided he came here after
he was eighteen years old. The decla.
ration might be made rs soon as he ar
rived in the country. This was done
in many caseS, and from this process
resulted the abuse OF the elective fran
chise which has been seen in some OF
the western and southern states. An
alien who knows no more about this
country than he does about the other
side Of the moon can come here, declare
his Intentions Of becoming a citizen in
the New York courts on the day OF his
arrival in port, 90 west, vote six months
later and return to the land OF his
birth two or three years afterwards,
having never had any intention OF be-
coming citizen, and knowing nothing
about the process through which he has
gone.
ONLY ONE PAPER TO DE TAKEN OUT.
Under the new law, if the bill should
be passed, there is only one paper,
which is the last one. This will only
be granted after the man has been u
resident OF the United States Tor five
years. Consequently, there will be no
record of his having been in the coun-
try until his final papers, admitting
him to citizenship, have been granted.
Although the provision mentioned is
an important one, it is not the most
important OF those contained in the
bill. 1t acts as an obstruction, merely,
to the present system, which can be re-
moved by future action on the part OF
the states. The condition Of supreme
moment is the provision that the
United States district attorney, or the
local district attorney OF the county
where the man applies for his papers,
must acquiesce in his being odmitted,
after having received written notice OF
the application for citizenship. The
bill says:
No alien who has ever been convicted
Of felony or other infamous crime, or
misdemeanor involving moral turpl-
tude, or who is an anarchist or poly
gamist, or who emigrated to the United
States in violation OF any of the laws
thereof, or who cannot read the con-
stitution OF the United States, shall be
naturalized or adjudged by any court to
be citizen of the United States or OF
any state; nor shall any alien be natur"
allied who has not continuously, for
five years next preceding his applica-
ton resided within the United States.
and for the last preceding twelve
months within the state, district or
territory in which the application is
made. No class OF aliens who are in
eligible to naturalization by existing
law shall be rendered eligible by this
act, except as herein provided. Any
Indian, born in the United States, who
has adopted the manners and customs
OF civilized life, may become citizen OF
the United States by conforming to
tho requirements Of this act, 80 far as
the same may be applicable to him;
but such naturalization shall not forfeit
any interest he may have in any money
or land by virtue OF any treaty or his
formal tribal relation.
These are the qualifications, as dis
closed in the part quoted, which are
prerequisites to an alien becoming a
citizen.
STRICT REQUISITES OF THE BILL.
They are somewhat more strict than
the present law requires. But the chief
feature of the bill is the method OF
making a citizen. In the first place,
tho applicant must file in court a regu.
lar petition, duly verified before a no.
tary or other person who is empowered
to take the veriicatiou. This verified
petition must set forth that the applic-
ant is more than twenty.one years old,
and has been bona tide resident OF the
United States for more than five years.
1t must show when and where he was
born and where he lives, that he has
never been convicted before any court
or other legal tribunal OF felony, infam-
GUS crime, or misdemeanor, involving
moral turpitude; that he is not an an
archist or polygamist, and that he did
not immigrate to the United States in
violation OF any of the laws thereof.
Still further. the man must swear that
he can read the constitution OF the
United States. Ii he cannot read the
constitution after he has declared in his
petition that he eau, he is subject TO a
fine and imprisonment for five years.
DUTY OF THE COURT CLERK.
After the verified petition has been
filed, the bill provides that the clerk OF
the court shall enter it upon docket, TO
be kept for the purpose. Then he shall
give notice, in writing, to the district
attorney, solicitor, or public prosecutor,
whose duty it ia 10 represent the United
States, state, district or territory, in the
court in which the peti,i on is filed. The
petition must then heard and tried
by the court in Preference TO other