Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-03-07
A Sentinel Iudee.

The Hon. Roger A. Pryor, a distin-
pushed New York Judge, being asked
az 70 The conditions which he requires
OF candidates for naturalization. named
two' The first is "a knowledge of the
principles OF the American Constitu-
tion." This requirement, he explains.
Is based on the provision OF law that
the applicant must give satisfactory
proof OF his attachment TO the princi-
pies OF the Constitution. "But how
argues the judge, "can he be attached
TO that OF which he is ignorant?o
The second requirement is that the
applicant be able to speak and write
the English language. In support of it
the Judge points out that 10 serve as a
juror In the city Of New York per-
son shall be liable TO read and
write the English language UNDER
standingly." The alien, when invested
with rights and privileges of citizen.
ship, ought TO be competent to perform
It's duties, Of which jury duty is one of
the highest Moreover, as the Judge de-
clares, IA knowledge OF the country is
important, IL not indispensable, to an
Intimate acquaintance with the multi
form interests OF the country"
The naturalization laws should be
enforced more intelligently and more
thoroughly than they are. They would
thus be made an effective supplement
10 the immigration laws in safeguard
our citizenship against the invasion Of
unfit foreign elements.
Several years ago a report to the
House OF Representatives, from the
committee on the judiciary, revealed
the unsatisfactory way in which the
subject is treated In too many of the
courts throughout the country. In some
cases il appeared that clerks and dep
niies, after conducting applicants to
the court room, informed them that
they were ..in the presence Of the
court, and administered the necessary
oaths 10 them and their witnesses. the
attention Of the judge never having
been called 10 the matter at all.
On the eve Of an election, crowds of
aliens are made citizens in all the
great cities, the numbers necessitating
haste and making careful compliance
with legal requirements difficult, even
where there is an honest effort TO carry
them out. That applicants and their
abcttors have sometimes resorted to
perjury was made manifest; but when
cases have been prosecuted, the ignor-
ance OF the accused and the haste OF
the proceedings have usually acted as
defense. The defendant testities that
the required questions were not asked,
or that he did not understand them.
Persons thus admitted TO citizenship.
though they may live among us, con-
tribute no element OF strength TO our
institutions, which they do not under
stand or respect. Such men are the
natural instruments of the bosses. In
deed. their pliancy in the hands of cor
rupt politicians does not involve the
same degree OF moral turpitude that
ii implies in an American who knows
what democratic and representative
government Is.
Having no sense Of the responsible
ity of the individual voter, it is not
surprising that they are willing to LEI
others tell them how to vote. lgnor,
ant OF the meaning and Importance OF
ballot, what wonder that they are
willing 10 sell II?
The Judge who, through carelessness
or partizanship fails to exercise against
this danger the vigilance which the
law requires, seems to us about al
blamewor,hy as the sentinel who is no
watchful on his post. Youths Com
panion.