Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-01-11
USE or PASSPORTS.
New ths 0eveenmsnt Issues rhem
aoe What They Centais..W hoeo
Pssspeet Falls. Documents
Whose vaiwe are Little uNdee.

According to the NUMBER ana Chat.
acter of the letters received by the
passport clerk ut the state Depart
ment. II would seem that the general
public Of the United States knows
little Of the value or general uses Of
che passport in foreign countries.
There are those who In
foreign travel subject themselves.
especially In Germany. to much
useless trouble and worry. which
could be avoided by the simple
act Of taking out a passport from their
own Government. Although not OF
great Importance in minor cases. this
Il a guarantee by the Government OF
the tnitcd states that the person bear
ing 1t Is who he claims to be. and.
bear such evidence. Is entitled to
the consideration Of the officers Of the
Government he Is visiting. Ordinarily
speaking. as every ono knows who has
taken a short European trip the pos.
session Of a passport on brief journey
through England cr France Is not OF
any particular value. for I'm nine cases
out of ten IL Is not called into reluisi-
ton. Hut persons who want to go In
to Alsncc-I Lorraine from France are
often put to great Inconvenience and
delay IL they do not have passports
which are vised by the German En-
lmssy ut Paris. for the rules In parts OF
Germany i'm regard tn the identity OF
persons are most rigid.
So long as people are travelling
through Europe their movements may
be- unuucstioncd: hut II they give an
appearance of intending to live or So
journ ut a place. they are frequently
called upon for their passports and
forced to give an account Of them.
selves and their object I'm staying.
This Is particularly the case In Ger
many. where people In the smaller
towns have frequently been questioned
abruptly by the civil authorities within
q short time after their arrival. Pass
ports are certainly necessary for the
Turkish dominions. including Egypt
and Palestine. and should he certified
by Turkish consular officer before
entering within the limits Of Turkish
Jurisdiction.
Any one can get one of these pass.
ports who Is a citizen Of the United
States upon proof of citizenship. Ev.
cry applicant II required to state his
occupation and the place Of pcrman.
ent legal residence. ana to declare that
he Is going abroad only for temper.
airy soiourn. and intends to return to
the United states for the purpose Of
residing and performing the duties OF
citizenship here. The oath of allcgl.
ance to the United States Is required In
all cases and fee of 81 Is charged.
Fulfilling these conditions. the pass.
port Is given for any foreign country
and Is good for two years from It's date.
AZ the end of that time citizens Of the
United States can have their passports
renewed by applying to the chief dip
loma,ic representative of the United
States In that country. to the Consul
General. or. II the country In which
he Is living has no officer Of the rank
OF Consul-Genernl. to Consul.
The rules In regard to this matter
have been frequently violated. There
was an old German who had been q
citizen Of the United States. When
he left this country he procured O
passport. II appears that every two
years. during period Of twenty years,
the old fellow. by negotiating with n
notary or attorney In this country. had
had his passport renewed, although
he was IN reality no longer a citizen
Of the United States. There are many
remarkable facts In connection with
the passports and the laws which ap.
ply 10 them. Jews Of the United
States. who are citizens of this coun.
try. although bearing passports signed
by the Secretary Of State. are not nj.
lowed under any conditions to enter
Russia. This IL a very severe restric.
ton for them. II they want to see any
Of their friends or relatives. Often
American Jews will go to some of tho
little German towns on the Russian
frontier. and their friends will come
over to them. or course many pass.
ports are granted to Jews every year
and they are always told. II their race
is known. that the American passport
for them IL not good In Russia. Some
correspondence on this subject passed
between Mr.. Bayard. when he was Sec
rotary OF State. and the Russian Gov
ernmcnt. but nothing definite has evel
been done In regard to the matter, and
II Is presumed that the Russian lawi
now In force In regard to JEWISH inner
lean citizens will remain so without
further action or question on the part
of the United States. 1t Is remark
able fact that n Chinaman born In thl,
country can get passport, while hi,
parents cannot be naturaliZed and en-
Joy the same privilege. Although 4
takes citizen Of foreign govern
ment five years before he can get ,
passport. a man discharged from TIN
army after three years service cal
declare his intention of becoming nat
urnIlzed and passport may be ISSUED
him.
An act OF Congress of 1863 was tn,
first one establishing passport fee
which was fixed at 50. This was In
creased 10 81 by an act of the following
year. 1864. The passport fee was abol
ished 10y Congress In 1870, restored Il
1874. and reduced by an act of Marcl
-. 1883. to 81. the present rate.
neat little sum Is now realized annr
ally by the Governments on passports
This money Is turned In by the Stat
Department to the miscellaneous fun