The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-11-29
Aliens Refused Naturalization
in Oakland, Admitted in San
Francisco.
NO MORE BLANK CERTIFICATES.
A Fruitful Source of Fraud at Primaries
Will Hereafter Be
Stopped.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN Francisco CALL
9OS Broadway. Nov, %. {

OAKLAND OFFICE DAN FRANCISCO CALL,f
90S Broadway, Nov. 49,
During the past week several foreigners
have been refused registration by County
Clerk Jordan because they could neither
read nor write, and the discovery has been
made that such citizens are going to San
Francisco and returning after certain
period with transfer certificates, so that
they can get on the Alameda County
Great Register.
Many of these applicants have been
naturalized in the East. and have voted
for twenty years, and cannot understand
why they should be refused registration
for such simple objection as ignorance Of
reading and writing.
A native of Austria was asked by Jordan
few days ago who was President of this
country, and he looked as blank as a
cheese, and succeeded in conveying the i'm
preston that he did not know. He did
not say as much, because his knowledge of
the language would not permit him, but
he was not registered, and he will not be
till he comes up to the educational require
ment.
"These applications are very common. :"
said Clerk Jordan to-day, "and it con-
vinces me that there are great number
of people on the Great Register that have
no right to be there. / have positive in
formation that there is a gang of men here
who will attempt 10 get on the next Great
Register of Alameda County. Some have
already attem pied it. They are here with
their naturalization papers and transfers,
but the law says that no man shall be
granted the privilege of voting unless he
can read and write, and SO they go away
again.
This gang to which I refer are all
aliens, and a few have been refused
naturalization in this county.
'1n San Francisco they seem to meet
with better luck, for many come back with
their naturalization papers and ask to be
registered. They are put through the test.
If they cannot read any portion of the con-
stitution they are sent away"
One peculiar case is on record showing
| how much easier it is to be naturalized in
San Francisco than in Oakland. Two
brothers named Corbett. living in West
Berkeley, applied to Judge Ellsworth for
naturalization and were refused on the
ground of ignorance. On their way up
Broadway, a politician named Billy Mac
| donald coached them in the constitution,
and at 3 O'Clock the same afternoon they
were back in the County Clerks Office 10
be registered. They had gone to San Fran
| cisco and were naturalized by Judge San
derson, the same day Judge Ellsworth re-
| fused them. They were registered. as they
could both read and write, and therefore
the clerk had no option in the matter, al
though he knew of their experience with
the Alameda County Judge.
1t has been customary in the past for
ward workers to apply to the County Clerk
for blocks of signed blank certificates,
which would be filed in afterward to sui
the heelers. The workers would use these
certificates at the primaries, would destroy
| them as soon as they had voted, and there
would be no possibility of conviction.
| The next Great Register will not be
printed until after the primaries are held
and everyb body will have to vote Oh certi-
fcates. No blanks will be issued, however,
and no one will get a certificate who does
not appear personally and take the oath.
There Is some doubt as to whether there
will not De many acknowledgements in this
county before the next election. There
are hundreds of names on the old register
of people who cannot comply with the
educational clause, and when they apply
for new registration they may be refused.