The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-19
ANSWERS OF FOREIGNERS.
Ideas That Some Aliens Have of This
Country.
From the National Labor Tribune.


From the National Labor Tribune
Since Gov. Hastings of Pennsylvania ap-
proved the act of the assembly taxing
aliens 3 cents a day, which is to be with
held from their wages by their employers
there has been a rush of applicants for
citizenship papers. William T. Lindsey,
the clerk Of the United States
district court, at Pittsburg, said
that from forty to fifty for
eigners a day had made application for
their final papers since Monday of last
week. Moreover, many first papers were
issued.
But few Of the applicants are successful
in the district court. This is due 10 the
series of questions which Clerk Lindsey
propounds to the would-be citizens. The
court does not expect to naturalize more
than eight 10 twelve each day, aud this
gives an opportunity for selecting the best
applicants presented.
on Tuesday morning Mr. Lindsey began
his inquisitorial duties at $50 o'clock and
hardly drew his breath until p. m; when
he took a recess for lunch, At 2:30 o'clock
he took twelve candidates before Judge
Joseph Burlington, and all were success
fully transformed into full-hedged citizens
Clerk Lindsey's examinations are most
thorough, and not a few of the foreigners
after listening 10 the questions put to
others before their names are called, leave
the office and declare they will go into the
county courts. There were about forty
five applicants yesterday. The twelve
granted papers, the clerk stated, are well
calculated to make excellent citizens. The
following is a sample of what the poor fell
lows must withstand and the answers they
make:
How long have you been in the United
States?"
Thirteen years"
why did you Gomez"
ITO better my condition"
Are you doing 1t, aud hoW?"
Eyes, with better wages and more
chances"
Where were you born?"
in Russian Poland"
"Who is the ruler there?" l
1.-THE Car of Russia" r
"Who is the head of the church,"
"He Is"
Are you allowed to talk about him?"
mo"
"Do the newspapers criticise him?"
"Na."
who is the head of our church,"
Mckinley"
"Can you talk about him?"
you bet"
"Who rules American"
presidents washington and Mckinley"
who makes the laws!
'"They do"
What is our government
Republican"
"Who made 1t republican,"
mark Hanna"
HAS any one reduced your wages?"
eyes; Cleveland"
"Who represents Pennsylvania"
Senator Quay"
"Are there any others?"
mo; he is ALL
"What is the government of Pittsburgh
"The ring"
Needless to say this applicant was not
passed.
OF those applying, Mr.. Lindsey said
there were very few who would not make
good citizens. Many of them had a very
good general idea of the national. state.
county and municipal governments, and
what bodies perfym the legislative func-
tons Nearly all had families and were
permanently located in the county. Most
| had children who are sent to the public
schools. rsIq sf .rt...
| Several could not read or write, but
| nevertheless, seemingly were well posted
on general affairs. One applicant, who
was a native of Russian Poland, answered
many of the questions satisfactorily, and
| after he had left the Office Mr. Lindsey
was sorry he had not passed him. He
could neither read nor write
The Italians, as a general rule, are I'M
able to answer one-half of the questions
| correctly. The Swedes and Norwegians
| appears to be the best-posted applicants,
| and usually get through the examination
| with flying colors. When the successful
| ones with the clerk are taken before
| Judge Burlington they have little diff
| Guilty.