The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1894-11-16
THIS COUNTYS NEW VOTERS
Where the New Made Citizens Of This
County Came FrOm-Canada
Leads Off.
Sweden Follows Next While Germany
Stands Third, with Sweden and
Norway Close.

k.S
election day Judge Benton and the clerk
of the district court we're kept busy
hearing the application Of foreign born
residents who were DESTROYS Of complet-
ing their citizenship by taking out their
final papers, 80 as to be entitled to the
privilege of a vote in the late election.
Eight hundred and nineteen final cit
izenship papers were granted by the
court during that time, a little more than
two months, making a total more than
equal to the whole number granted from
the time the court was organized up till
that date. At least $50 applicants we're
denied their papers. About 100 Of these
were turned away because they could
not speak the English language, or were
unable to read or write, Notwithstanding
the fact that they came to the United
States when they were Of a school age,
or because they did not appear to under
stand enough about the form of govern
ment under which they lived to justify
the court in comforting on them the right
of franchise. This latter objection turned
away more than the other two combined.
There we're besides about fifty applicants
refused because they could bring no
proof of their residence in the United
States for five years. or their having
taken out first papers at least two years
prior to their application.
The Sl9 who got through all right
we're divided by nationality as follows;
Canada 1872, Sweden 131, Germany SS.
England S3, Norway 80. Finland II,
Scotland SO, Ireland 46, Austria 10,
Wales y, Denmark 10, Italy 8, France 6,
Switzerland 6, Russia 3, Holland 3, Tur-
key l, Poland l.
Nearly one half of the total number of
new citizens it will be perceived, came
from English speaking countries. Leav-
ing these out Of the question, Judge
Benton remarked to the reporter that
he was much surprised to find how
thorough a knowledge Of American in
situations was possessed by many of the
applicants, especially among the Fin
landers. He asked one old gentleman Of
this nationality with a particularly stolid
appearance, il he had ever read the con-
~stitution af the United States and was
answered in the affirmative, whereupon
the judge requested him to tell him
something about it. To the judges as
constituent he started in at the begin
ming and gave him the substance OF the
United States constitution section by
section, till the court stopped him, salts
fled that he knew the whole document
by heart. Some Of the answers received
however, from other candidates were not
80 satisfactory. A very common i'm
preston was that Grover Cleveland was
king of the United States by divine
right, and also that he was governor OF
Montana. A great macy Italians failed
to pass muster on examination and a
great many more, discouraged by the
reports OF their friends OF the difficulties
to be encountered In becoming an Amer
lean citizen, never appeared before the
court at all.
When it is considered that nearly 1000
men presented themselves before the
court for final citizenship papers and
many others from not having resided in
the state a year or for other disqualified
tons never presented themselves at all,