New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-28
GRINDING OUT VOTERS.
INFAMOUS AND OUTRAGEOUS METHODS
OF TAMMANY PERJrRERS.

=
HERE ONLY FEW MONTHS OR WEEKS
R1surp THROUGH THE CITIZEN MILL
a DISGRACE TO THE COUNTRY
AND TO CIVILIZATION.
ANY solf-rcspecting citizen. either natural porn
or naturalIzed would undoubtedly consider IL
an ind enItv to have the process which has been
/ Going on IN the County Courthouse for IN" las'
month calei making citizens. 1t should De- ue-
scribcd as grinding OUT voters There HAY De
! no legal difference between making CITIZENS anu
manufacturing voters. under the Federal stat
utes as modified by the State laws, but IN the
cause Of patriotism 1t t., 10 be hoped there Is
real and great difference.
Citizenship has become so cheap thing tiat
| t, NOT onI, comes free but In many cases men
are bribed to take It. After securing it they are
b,ibeJ IN many cases to use 1t corruptly. Many
foreigners have come 70 understand that thc3
! can secure naturalization papers at almost any
tine no matter how long or how snort pcrio'
they have been in the country. Let any one VINO
| doubts this assertion talk with a few aliens on
/ the subject Tell TIE foreigner who has been here
inst long enough to get his bearings that he can
! not become a citizen until he has been In the
/ country five years and not until TWO years AFTER
/ he has declared his Intentions OF becoming
citizen and see the amused ard sarcastic smile
which overspreads his features. II ne IL IN
cned to be frank he Will probably reply
"Oh. can get my papers at any time;
/ politician told mo the other day, and offered
10 put through"
The consequence is thai in n great many cases
the first experience which the foreigner has
with our laws ia IN violating them. That Is not
/ the worst OF H. He is brbed for violating th'
law by one who Is already citizen. With such
,yii oh
many foreigners who g through the process have
! for American laws and institutions can be mag
/ med Tho Lesson thus learned OF the first prln-
/ cipe Of American politics perhaps bears closer
/ rc.atlon 10 the corruption IN the government OF
7 this Big lily. witch Is made MP largely OF for
L, cign- born population. than most people i"ve.
A LIST FOR TWENTY YEARS
A short time ago The Tribune published a
table giving the number Of aliens na.Uralzed in
the Superior Court IN tho last twenty years.
| Tn" figures showed that more than 100000 final
papers had been issued in that time. The fig
uros for tho lur, Of Common Pleas VII! about
! duplicate this record In the United states
! Courts prohabiy to cay that from one-thrl TO
ono-haN as many citiz 'ns have boon made as In
either X The other courts mentioned would be
fair estimate
In al. then. within me las; twenty years. from
20 - 30
this city aone Considering the fac; tha; there
are only about 700 900 votes cast in tho city. the
proporiion ~ flrciEn-b IN voters is "r)rmous.
| Undoubtedly large numbers OF tnosc who have
/ been uatura1"d ar" NOT voters to-day Many
/ thousands os them have died. and thousand
/ have moved away. But close observers say thai
arg, percentage OF those who remain IN the
/ city long enough TO become naturazed never
move away from IT, The result s that the bal
4 anc.. II r0tlral power - held IN the city by
/ uaturallzed foreigners. a sreat many OF whpm
secured their power through Violation OF ,he
The worst II 8; g. tina the vicious WORK X at
ur,grlt going On At weller rate han ever. Any
/ zane who can stand around the corridors
| Of the County Courthouse and take an occasional
! peep into the c1urtroOils and the c'crks offices
and stu believe that there IT. no corruption going
| on Is too good for this world his wings VIII
begin t. sprout shortly.
on the top ara mczzanine noCrs all is a
| crowded congomcrlti1n - confusion ara NTH.
/ All other business Is practically suspended.
although O-C oor - the first mon h after the long
/ summer vacation. and consequently one oi the
/ most important In ne curt year Every avail
. ali" Clerk n busy making out papers ready for
the signatures Of the Judges Tammany runners
are all about pa sing through the crowd and In
'front.' 4 hundr~1e %. waiting apple ants. guiding
| those favored WIKI Tamnlany pulls IL a sure
! haven and speedy citizenship. The prcl!m!-
nnrics over. they are guided - IN" courtroom
before ono 81 the Justices ~ whom N conse-
qucnc@ Il their loyalty 70 Tammany Hall 1t
| might ne sai
His Honor rooted in lishonor stood.
Ard faith unfaithful kept him falsely true
Tho dlsgraceful speed which characterized tho
carly work this fan nas s.ackcncl somewhat
/ after Tn. Tribune exposed tho methods pursued
about two weeks ago.
THE PRESSURE INCREASED.
FL, IS and th'n the pressure f. incrcaTod
| and - whc"s turn more rapidly tEdn eyer lor
short periods not only this. bat the exaninG
| tors which axe made absolutely worthless
In most cases. From n:ty to n hundred appli-
| cantS Will be waiting in the room. The judge
calls one before him.
How long have you been in this country ,"
! he asks.
What month did You come in?'
"llarch." or perhaps July or September
/ Us the case may be
"Who makes the laws for this cOuntry?'
| Congress-"
"Who carries ont the laws
"Clcvoland' is the usual response 20 this oues-
ton. and then The judge frequently helps the APP
! pllcant along by rcmarkinS:
yes the President"
Then the examination continues:
who makes Tho laws for this State"
! tine legislature"
"0f what is Tho Legislature composed?'
The Assembly and the Senate"
"Who carries out Of the laws OF the State?'
The Governor
Then to tie witness
How lorg have You known this man"
Five years"
- a Of good character and attached
TO Tho. The principles Of the Constitution"
"Do you think he will make good citizen -
Yes"
"An right" and the next applicant comes up.
All this time the crowd Of waiting men has
heard all he questions asked, and know what
to expect an. what answers to make. They give
the replies gbly enough and the judge think,
n" has done his duty. no doubt when ne gets
correct answers 10 all these siereoypcd questions
Once In while an applicant IL found whose
brain what passes for that article Is so
dense that he cannot even get the answers
straight. after hearing them repeated over time
and again. His blunders bad that they
often become humorous One man said re-
Gently that the laws made at Tammany