The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-01-21

mov in its opposition by reasons
! that control The Tribune. The Tribune
favors a change in the naturalization
laws compelling a longer residence.
| The Messenger lately Insisted In two
| editorials upon a change here. It ia
vors extending the time so as 10 CON-
| pei a residence here as long as that
demanded Of nations before exercising
| the elective franchise. The reasons for
this change were stated in a PREVIOUS
editorial. There is no sort OF pros
| pect, in face of the necessities of the
republican party, of this OF
time being secured by legislative en-
| actment. Foreign born men who are
| alike ignorant of our language. laws
and the fundamentals of our system
| Of government will be permitted, nay
invited, to vote without having the
| slightest p~retense of an understanding
OF what they are doing. So in view of
the impossibility Of getting a change
in the requirements OF the federal cleo
ton law, We are gratified that the
Tribune is at least patriotic enough
and wise enough as TO see tha some
change shouldtake place, and urges. as
it says it has done for many years,
hat the probation of citizenship should
! be extended, and then it may be wise
to nave an educational test. 1t saws
this:
w only renew what we have urged
for many years. in and out of season,
earnestly, consistently, prayerfully.
Let us raise the value oft he privilege
of American citizenship not by driving
a horde of immigrants indiscriminate-
ly into a court for the purpo of put
ting a ballot into their hands, but by
doubling, n if 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, let us
drop all this tomfoolery about an edu-
| c~atiOnaltest with regard to immigrants
INK pass instead a federal naturaliZa-
ton law. That would give us an intel
| ligent ballot, perhaps; and certainly
| could work no real hardship to the de-
serving and desirable immigrant"
Let us glance at some facts that may
aid our readers to see why senator's
a large majority-have voted for an
educational test. Can it be possible
that forty-five ave voted for tom
foolery about IN educational test The
aim of the senate bill is to exclude a
class of unworthy, undesirable immi-
grants. The aim is we'll meant. It is
tn do i11Sf yxI of tbn Trib1,nn c. q y- % bax-o
to raise 1.-THE value of the privilege
of American citizenship"-to guard
our free Institutions and to really pre-
serve 1.-THE high standard of our popu-
latiOn and citizenship" as Senator
Fairbanks said in his speech in the
enate The bill is not unfair or hos
tile to any country or people. To quote
again from the senator from Indiana.
cit is not rascal in it's discriminating
pos 1T does not forbid the coming
of any race; it proscribes no national
ity; it is p~roscriptive of ignorance, and
of that only. 1T is founded upon the
broad and patriotic theory that to fur
Their augment illiteracy in This ountry
is unwise, and that iIliteracy is an I'M
table and undesirable foundation upon
which to rest this mighty fabric of
government
1t is known that for some years the
| most desirable immigrants on the
! globe-those from Great Britain, Ger
many, Sweden, Norway and Denmark
| have ceased to come in but in small
numbers. They are the ones hiatt have
helped to develop our country and to
maintain in unbroken perfection the
great underlying principles of our poll
teal fabric. In, fact, the Scotch, Irish,
and some other mathematics, have
been in connection with the native
born people, nation builders, and many
of them in the first war of indepen-
dence were among the most eager and
conspicuous patriots fighting from the
start for liberty and independence
Latterly, for several years, the imni-
grants from Europe have been of an
other type and kind, and altogether
very inferior to the class that once
came. This will be seen farther on.
From 1880 TO 1897 there have been
Is, 169, O56 foreign immigrants to this
country. Some $4,000, 900 came from
Germany, Ireland, England and Nor
way and Sweden. Here is the number:
Germany 4,9e7,77
Ireland 1871, 043
England 2,638, $50
| Norway and SWeden......... LISP. 7SS
After 1880 a change set in. In that
| vpa7- 81 \ yrayo from tho - IL
| sirable countries. In 1895, it had fallen
half way, and in 1897, the desirable
countries had but 36.7. The rise in the
| less desirable countries was from S.
/ TO ST. per cent. in seventeen years.
Let us beware how we water our life
| blood" said George William Curtis.
How does this change affect US?