San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-09-26
tally ONE FOR JERSEY.

| 1t Is very much the fashion to
trot out New Jersey on all possible
and i'm possible occasions as butt
| for ridicule, but the old state can
show them all thing or two. The
last legislature of that state passed
a law governing naturalization,
that has called forth the criticism
Of those who resent anything that
curtails the universally of the bal
lot. This law provided that no
naturalization papers should issue
for thirty days pending an election.
It's language is: "No person shall
hereafter be naturalized or ad-
mitted to be a citizen Of the Unit
ed States by any court of this state
within the thirty days next pre-
ceding any national, state, NUM-
cipal, general, special, local or
charter election" An applicant
VIII ose application for naturaliza.
ton papers were refused, because
it was made within thirty days of
the municipal election in Hoboken,
brought suit in the Supreme court
against the Court of Comm on Pleas
in which the application for ma
turalization was refused. The court
holds the act of the legislature to
be constitutional, and on these
grounds: First, Congress is with
out power to interfere with or con-
troll state courts, except in so far
as the Federal courts have appel
late Jurisdiction: Second, Congress
cannot, without the consent of the
state, constrain the state courts to |
entertain or act upon applications
for naturalization: Third, it is
competent for the state legislature
to prescribe and limit the times
when and during which such appli-
cations may be heard in the state |
courts. The reasons for this act |
Of the New Jersey legislature
are upon the surface. The act was
designed to prevent the rush for
citizenship, so common upon the
eve of an election, and to cut off |
the frauds that are so often perpe-
trated at the time. This action of
the New Jersey legislature COM
mends itself to the approval of all
who would not hold American citi-
zenship a cheap thing. 1t strikes
at the root of a great deal of dis
honesty. 1t puts the recognition
Of the citizen more clearly within
the power of those who are guard
ing the ballot, for it makes no new
citizen possible within at least |
thirty days before the polling Of
the votes. This Is q move in the |
right direction. There should be |
revision Of the naturalization
law, and such radical changes
made as will suit the altered con-
ditions of the country. There is no
suffering entailed upon the country
because citizens are not manufact-
ured by machinery. There are a
sufficient number of the qualified
voters Of any section already on
hand to do the voting necessary
and it would be we'll to establish
such laws as would make Ameri-
can citizenship thing to be ap-
preciated. The term of residence |
in this country, prior to the con-
ferring OF citizen rights, should be |
heightened, no first papers,required,
but the applicant should be requir-
ed to prove an actual residence |
covering the designated term and |
character for common honesty |
and decency. Until this is done |
there are more states than New
Jersey that would gain by prevent
ing naturalization papers being
taken out on the eve of an election. |
The disastrous effects OLA boom |
have been again and again illus.