New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-01
THOUSANDS WISH To BE "CITIZENS"
UNUSUAL NUMBER OF UNDESIRABLE APPLIcA-
TONS FOR FIRST PAPERS -TAMMANY's
NATURALIzATION MILL SOON
To GRIND

I'VE receiving more applications for first cit
izenship papers at the present time than we have
ever received before" said Thomas Boese. the
chief clerk OF the Superior Court yesterday
And" he continued. The applicants are OF the
class that is the least desirable OF all men who APP
pear before the courts to become citizens Mr..
Gunner who has charge OF the Naturalization
Bureau OF the court has estimated that between
500 and 700 will have applied for their hrst pa
pers by the end OF the year This Is far IN excess
OF the number granted in any previous year In
the Common Pleas. understand. about the same
number OF applications have been made AS We
have received
More than the ordinary number OF men are APP
bearing for the final papers also. and many OF
them like those seeking their initial papers, as
play the densest ignorance Large NUMBERS OIL
them are rejected by the clerks. under Instructions
and are not allowed to go before Judge VINO IL
so busy that he may not have time to examine
them as fully as ought to. They must nave
knowledge Of English sufficient to understand the
oath which they are required to take and must
know something abou, the Government ana no"
and by whom the laws made. The clerk asks
them TO tell who is the highest officer Of the United
States whether this country is a republic or mon
archy where the laws are made. and to explain
what their understanding Of a republic u. IL
seems Impossible to believe that any person living
I'm this country from FIVE to ten years could De SO
ignorant as to be puzzled in answering any OF ''ese
rudmentary questions especially If they are apph-
cans for citizenship. And yet cases nav" come up
In which men who had lived i'm this city for ten
years were unable to answer of these questions
Those who cannot answer any Ga the questions
are rejected without further ado by the clerks anu
are not allowed to 20 before the judge at all some
answer that the laws Of the | nited states are
made in this city and that the highest ohlcer I'M
der the ln..ed States Government is the Mayor
OF this city and that this official makes the laws
for Ia. if.I of them tnlnk tidt
The Board Of Aldermen make the laws As to "hat
a republic u.s. many Of them have not the laH'lcS.
idea one Irshman the other day, when asked
this question replied that republic was a couh-
try where one man good as another. he
was made "A citizen AT once.
According to the census Of 1880 there were 'o""
more naturalized than nativc-born citizens who
were voters in the city Of New-fork alone since
that time about l-5OJ) citizens have been maze III
the Superior Court and the Court OF common fIeaS.
Several thousand have also been made In the h'eu
States Courts 50 that. unless the naturalZed citl-
zens have migrated rapidly 10 oiher parts OF '"'
country there Is larger proportion Of naturalized
citizens vino have votes I'm this city now than ther"
was in 1850 The figures OF the last census nave
not been completed yet 30 that comparisons J"
this respect cannot be- made
Mr. Roese thinks that the large increase In the
number OF decara tons OF those wishing TO pecofh'
citizens is due the fact that many labor org"nHa-
lions are now requiring their members To DE Gnu
gems or at least to have /ed their intention u pe
coming citizens Not only labor organizations but
the Anarchists and others OF that class oil persons
have begun to think that they might secure more
power by becoming citizens and thus commanding
some attention from the political parties because
Of their votes.
Tammauy Hall passed resolution the other night
provding for the opening of it's naturalization
hureau al once and doubt tho mill VIII begin
IN grind with increased rapidy within a snort
,i,r. These naturalization bureaus are responsible"
for much Of the carelcssness displayed just before
election time each year in the making Of citizens
Tn. agents OF the bureaus make IL a point to brns
every man before the court who can become CHI
zen bv any possible means As their work is all
done In the month lust before election. the courts
ar. naturally crowded at that time. The WORK Oh
uafuralizlng is kept mp from early to late at nigh
uressre All the time. and the door is opened 10 All
| kinds ~ fraud where the Judge is ltt" careieSs
and an lous To finish his work and go home.
II N ,y.r. not for the naturalization bureaus IN"
work. would b. more equallzed through the entire
,e.r The most undesirable applicants all Know
that II they wait until the month or oc'obei 'hr
expense OF getting their papers VIII De Puu ~
some political organization. ana 50 th"N VIII Ndit
until that time Many OF them would never thlik
81 becoming citizens probably. ana from th"l az
u-arauc" the country could well ailoii 10 spar
them that honor But IN" agents OF the bureaus
hunt them up and induce them 20 com" before the
court for the purpOs. OF having vot" thrust upon
them Those who in the large majority no"
ar. the ones Who come from the districts on t nr
East side OF the CITY. where a person may walk
/ for blocks and not hear III" English language
suok.n once. This Is especially tru" or thoS" VINO
| are arplving for their first papers. Two years
I later they will come up to be- made ful-ne,ig"d
citizens. II they have been able 10 earn so nt,lr
OF the Kind OF citizens they will make two years
from