The Republican., 1899-09-28
HOW TO BECOME CITIZENS.
The Methods of Procedure In Vogue
in Various Countries Of
Europe.

1t has always been the policy of wise
states and especially of those connected
with commerce, to open wide the door
for the reception and naturalization
of foreigners. But there are none the
less some very striking differences in
the laws of nations as affecting the
strangers within their gates.
Great Britain, for instance, differs
materially from continental nations in
the opportunities she offers foreigners
resident in that country to natural
ize'-that is to say. to become on an alb
solute equality with the ''natural-born
subject
Its rules are very simple in the mat
ter. Any foreigner who has been a
resident in the United Kingdom for five
years, and intends to go on living there
has only to apply to the home office. Civ
ing full particulars of his birth, means
of subsistence, and stating his inten-
tion to reside in the United Kingdom,
for certificate of naturalization to be
supplied him. Then all he has to do
is to take the oath of allegiance to her
majesty Queen Victoria, her heirs and
successors. This done, and the GER
tificate registered at the home office,
and he is as much of a Briton as if he
had been born there.
In Austria stranger may acquire
rights of naturalization by being EN-,
ployed as a public functionary. But
as there are only very few foreign,
ers who hold public positions, this is
small factor in the situation. And
even if one served in the Austrian
army, one is not granted the rights
of citizenship. The authorities only
have the power of granting naturaliza.
ton certificates to individuals who have
been conducting a profession in the
country for ten years. So that in this
anti-democratic land foreigners are alb
solutely debarred from citizenship.
Germany is certainly better in this
respect. There one need only be NOM
mated, not appointed, to any public
office to become a citizen. and, though
certain exceptions are made as to Jews,
still the authorities are empowered to
naturalize any stranger who can sat
isfy them as to his being reasonably
wcil-cOnducted and having a means of
livelihood.
Both Austria and Germany are alike
in one bad respect, however. No Ger
man or Austrian may leave his country
without permission, and even if that is
given they forfeit-theoretc at
Ieast-their citizenship.
Some nations are very jealous of TAX
ing man back once he has, by nat
uralizing, ceased to be citizen of the
land of his birth. France, in this re-
spect, has perhaps the wisest rule. A
Frenchman ceases to be Flenchman
If he accepts office under foreign gov
ernment without permission, or even if
he establishes himself abroad for a
lengthy period. But he can again be-
come citizen of his own country by
renouncing the land of his adoption and
applying to be reinstated.
This. on the whole. is the most intri-
cate phase of the naturalization Oues-
tion, and, despite the fact that there is
considerable body of international
law on the subject, disagreements be-
tween states frequently occur, and have
sometimes assumed serious dimen-
SONS. 1t has also cropped up in the
Transvaal controversy.
Up to very recent years England did
not allow an Englishman who had nat
urallzed in another country to become
again British subject; and even now.
once he has repudiated his nationality,
he ceases, for the time being, to be un-
der British protection, or of any more
concern to Britannia than a Pole or a
Spaniard.
Russia has very funny naturalization
laws. Anyone may become a subject
OF the ear by taking the oath of allie
glence to him, and this he can, if he
chooses, renounce at pleasure. But With
natural-born Russian subjects the law
is extremely strict, and the car can
call any of these back to Russia at anv
moment he chooses and compel them to
live there.
Another funny point-and one
scarcely liked by advanced women-is
that the wife always takes her hus-
bands nationality, even if he alters if
half dozen times.-Cincinnati En-.
quirer.