New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-18

liberal policy toward strangers to which In
large measure 1t owes It's present greatness. Our
decentralization are not likely to see the
day when in this country living will have be-
come unnleasant for want Of elbow room. We
NAV rest easy on that score, at any rate. so
far os the quality Of the immigration is con-
ceSned. which the pending bill seeks to improve,
does the man live who Is so stepped in prejudice
as TO assert that he would prefer n small but
highly Intelligent consignment Of Kearneys OF
Debses. of Sovereigns and fellows Of that kid
ney to a miscellaneous cargo OF thrifty Ger
mans. Scandnavans, Scotch, Irish--yes, or even
Bohemans, Hungarians and Italians? The
Kearneys we have no doubt, could give these
poor people cards. spades and little casino and
even then beat them, hands down, at the game
of reading and writing the Constitution; but no
power on earth nor any amount OF legislation
could induce them to take a pick or shovel into
their hands and earn their bread by an honest
days labor. Is It possible that Congress Is
serious when 1t makes not health, not manhood
not moral worth the test OF a candidacy for
American citizenship. but the ability to read or
write twenty-five words Of the Constitution In
some Wallachian lingo or In Hindostanee!
Truly, 1T Is to laugh"
Another point we do not remember to have
seen raised anywhere and which, we think,
suggests at once an obvious remedy for some or
the greatest dangers that are said to threaten
our political and social fabric by reason OF the
presence here OF al undigested and unassini-
lated swarm Of ignorant foreigners. The pro
posed bill says to large number OF American
citizens-and they are American citizens
though they acquired their citizenship but yes
terday:
Hereafter you will not be permitted 10 send
for your cousins your aunts; we Will sthnu
father and mother; yes. and perhaps your
grandparents: possibly too your brothers and
sisters. but cousins ana aunts-we ara" the
line there
Where Is the Congressman who could recall
offhand a native-born constituent OF his VINO
would support him upon such proposition III
volvinr the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of his family And
II not n nativeborn American constituent why
one OF foreign birth? II. indeed, the bestowai
Of American citizenship means anything II
means equality for ALL privileges for none. But
this legislation seeks TO draw n distinction be
tween the citizen OF yesterday and the one OF
the day before.
Now. as 10 the remedy. We claim no patent
OF priority. We only renew what we have
urged for many years, in and ont OF season, ear
nestly. consistently, prnyerfuly. Let us raise
the value OF the privilege Of American citizen
ship not by driving n horde OF ignorant imml'
grants indiscr!minately into court for the
purpose Of putting n ballot into their hands,
but by doubling. and II need be by trebling. the
probationary period. At the end OF such period
an educational test might be both logical and
effective: certainly not before In short, LEI
us drop all this tomfoolcry about nm educational
test with regard to immigrants and pass In
stead n Federal naturalization law That would
give us an intelligent ballot. perhaps; and GER
tainly could work no real hardship 70 the de
serving and desirable immigrant II would at
any rate be infinitely more rational than n
law which proposes 10 open the doors to the
educated rascal demagogue and adventurer,
while seeking 10 erect cruel barrier against
the sturdy. honest hard working but ignorant
laborer OF foreign birth.