The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-08
THE WAY CITIZENS ARE MADE.
Get n Witness to Answer the Ques-
lions and Drop 80 Cents in the Slot.

New York Tribune.
ID you know what you came here for?'
Il want to be a citizen" is the plaintive
reply, in tones like the small boys who
sings; Il want to be an angel, and with
the angels stand"-only the man VINO longs
TO be a citizen dreams of standing with the
chances of picking up wealth than even the
angels, who are supposed to walk up ana
down macadamized golden streets.
The man who knows enough to tell the
clerk at the naturalization bureau over in
the county courthouse tAat he wants to be
cial mods his head approvingly and makes
out the papers at once. Most of the can
didates don't know what they want, what
they are there for or what the whole trou-
Bile is about anyhow. They present a little
ticket from the Tammany Hall naturaliza-
ton bureau in Central street and trust TO
that as the open sesame to all things good:
Where are the country's laws NADER"
asks the clerk of a fierce-looking Russian.
who makes no reply, but turns and glowers
at his Feeble little witness, who has brought
him into these straits.
Cant you speak English %. impatiently
demands the scribe behind the railing.
-Four years.. answers the Russian ex-
ultingly.
What about four years? Lived here four
years? Oh, impossible. Go home and learn
some English. Here, officer, put these men
out. Give them a little ~shove"-and the
officer forthwith gives the warlike Russian
and his expostulating witness a little shove
Next" calls the clerk. "Well referring
to the papers), Barney Geoghan, where are
the country's laws nader"
"Senut." replies the Irishman glibly.
Senate? Well, where-what city,"
"Senut,' answers Barney. iaconically.
Y blackguard! wash'n'tonr' whispers
his witness as the clerk turns aside for a
moment, an # they ak We form of guv'-
Laws made at Wash'n'ton," says Bar
ney t~riumphantly to the clerk.
That's right Which form of govern
ment do we have?"
Publican"
Right again. Here, take your papers,
and the stream Of candidates moves slowly
1t Is high tide in the naturalization Of
fees these times. Election day is coming on
apace, and the crowd Of men who are sent
TO qualify themselves to vote grows day
by day. There are more Irish than any
other nationality, and then comes the Ger
mans and then the swarthy sons of Italy.
quently a rock for him to cling to when
these troublesome questions from the clerk
begin TO sweep him off his feet. But even
witnesses are not always a sure resource.
Everybody the Italian last fall
who, when asked who was the President
"rsmmana Hai iias'eI Hiss sei idReas WE'RE lI noPt far
different from those Of nan of the can
didates to-day. But then a little timely
roaGning ge5 5ess before givs going g. into the eo, eSurt
knowledge about American institutions; for
the, questions almost invariably are: Who
10 the 1OVernOr OF tnlS Stdte. 'Wnere
are the laws made for this Slater
Where are those for the United
States nader What form OF government
do we live under?" And as the queries are
generally put in that order it is a poor
1rishman that can't remember four consec-
utive nswer
The fee for naturalization is so cents,
and a large number of the candidates pre-
sent the tickets of the Tammany Hall bu-
reau in Center street, that of the German
American Reform Union, at No. 24 Broad
way, or the Republican ORGANIZATION. at No
46 Pearl street. These tickets are guar
antees that the fee will be paid by the
political organizations named.
And so the line flows on, day by day.
rs your friend a good man, of high moral
character and life, thoroughly worthy to
be a citizen of the United States?' asks
the clerk solemnly OF the witness In regard
to a perfectly villainous-looking Italian
whose face and head are plentifully sprin-
Killed. with the scars of bygone and recent
street fights, and who can speak hardly a
word of English.
eyes; very good man. answers the wit
ness, and another citizen is promtly Gre
ated. eg+ 10ff {