Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-10
Dignity American Citizenship.

| From the Philadelphia Press.
Cne OF the constitutional amendments
| voted on this year in Minnesota was the
| proposition TO restrict the right 10 vote
TO those who have resided in this country
five years al least have become citizens of
the United States and have lived SIX
months in Minnesota. The vote on the
amendment has not yet been compiled, but
Il Is certain that it received a majority of
the votes cast and was adopted As soon
as the official count mas been made and the
governor has issued his proclamation the
| amendment VIII 90 into effect
Minnesota has been the most liberal or
rather most careless, in granting the right
10 Vote of any state in the Union The
only requirement has been a declaration
OF intentions to become a citizen of the
United States and a residence of four
months in the state and of ten days in the
precinct. Under this arrangement an i'm
misrant fresh from Europe could arrive
IN Minnesota early in July in a presidential
year, declare his intentions and vote in
the following November for president.
Four years later he could vote a second
time for president and then if he chose
ne could change his plans and return 10
Europe without ever having become a cit
lzen OF this country, although he had ex-
ercIsed enc Of the highest privileges il
grants, namely. the right 20 help elect the
chief magistrate. II is safe 10 say that
no other country in the civilized world
SiVeS such q right to those who still owe
allegiance to some other government.
The extent to which this privilege has
been used can be judged from the conster-
nation created among the foreign-born vot-
eIS in Minnesota by the adoption of the
amendment. II is estimated that about
10000 voters Will have to take out their
second papers before they can vote again.
The last census showed that OF the 376 $50
n lp in -
were native-born and 22l. 500 were foreign
born. An increSae of some 500JG IN the
voting population has occurred in the SIX
years since. How much of this is foreign
born is not known exactly. but it is safe
10 estimate that there are 2250OJ foreign
born voters in Minnesota to-day. In the
counties from which information has been
obtained and which have three-fOurths of
the states voting population. only S,9T
second papers have been issued. Making
all due allowance for deaths and new COM
ers. and it does not appear unreasonable
to claim that 175,OCO voters, or more than
half as many as voted in that state in
the recent election. have not yet compiled
with the terms of the new citizenship
amendment. As the town and village cleo
tionS will take place in Minnesota in a
few months it is not surprising to hear
that there is \ great rush 10 obey the new
requirements.
L
in which a. declaration of intentions TO
become citizen and residence of one
year or less in the state is all that is
necessary TO entitle a man 10 vote This
is due to state laws and not to United
States laws. which require residence of
five years and full naturalization in order
TO become citizen. The extent to which
the lax laws of some states has been
abused is a public scandal. A traveller in
Europe need not inquire much to ind
scores of young men who have resided in
this country for a brief time. voted for
president and then returned to their native
country to reside for the rest of their ives.
This is an injustice to American-bOrn cit
izens, who are compelled to reside here
for twenty-one years before they acquire
the right to vote. Most of these loose nat
uralization laws We're passed by Western
states to attract population. although five
Southern states are among the number.
The evil should be remedied, and no man
in any state should be permitted to vote
who has not resided in this country five
years and become a citizen. 1t is to be
hoped that the example OF Minnesota will
be followed until there is uniformity in this
matter all over the Union and American
citizenship is invested with new dignity.