The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-03-31


United States five years and in Illinois
one year. The judge is required also
to be satisfied that during that time
the applicant has behaved as a man of
good moral character, is attached to
the Constitution of the United States,
and Wel-diSpoSed to the good order
and happiness Of the same. He must
be an easily satisfied Judge who can be
convinced after an examination lasting
seventeen seconds that an individual is
attached to the principles of the Con-
stitution of the United States, a docu-
ment which he probably never read,
and whose principles he might not
comprehend if he did A judge who
can do that must be a mind reader of
the first class"
Some judges and clerks are more
rapid in their action than others. 1t
takes a longer time to satisfy an over
careful court than quick witted one
that the applicant has complied with
ali the requirements of the law The
amount of time consumed in the pro-
cess is not so much a matter of mo-
ment. as is the matter of fact as to the
statutory qualifications of the alien
seeking to be admitted to the sacred
rights of citizenship. SO long as time
enough is taken to bring out the proofs
which the naturalization laws require,
speed is not Objectionable. especially
when there is a large number of apph-
cants. But seventeen seconds seems
electrical in its brevity and rapidity,
and an examination in such time
must necessarily be inadequate.
When political exigencies influence
the courts of the land. it is a bad sign.
1t indicates that the judiciary is made
part of the political machine and
means of effecting partisan ends. That
is a prostitution of the judicial power
and is a mark of downward tendency.
1t shows that the welfare of the nation
is made subordinate to party require
ments, and that what is intended for
safeguard is treated as a pretense.
Ballot reform, purity of elections, the
punishment of fraud and corruption at
the polls are demanded all over the
country. The convictions in New York
are signs of the times. The Mayor of
Lewiston, Maine, in his recent inaugu-
raj address, said:
IF a party cannot secure an election
without prostituting the public service
and the public treasury to the basest
of partisan uses, such party had bet
ter surrender its franchise and go out
of existence. The people can stand a
great deal of abuse and fraud, have
stood it in city, state and county, but
| this year if you lay your ear to the
ground you will hear the grand, sol
emn, seldom-heard voice of the Amer
! lean people calling loudly for reform
| in municipal government and for the
punishment of dishonest public ser
wants"
That is correct. And it is just as
necessary that the naturalization Of
aliens shall be conducted as the laws
require, so that only duly qualified
persons shall be admitted to citizen
ship, as that fraudulent practices at
the polls shall be stopped or the guilty
persons shall be punished for their
crimes, Every person of foreign birth
who is a bona fide resident in this
country should be encouraged to be-
come a citizen, but bogus naturaliza-
tons are to be denounced and exposed,
and the chief responsibility for such
offenses rests upon the courts that aid
in the wrong. Chicago naturalization
will be recognized as equal in rapidity
to Chicago divorce.