Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1900-12-13
GAINING CITIzEJ EJIp
How the Rights Are Acqu
Various Nations. :
Opportunities offered Foreigi
in Continental Countries-Fun-
ny Naturalization Laws
of Russia

states, and especially Of those connecte,
with commerce, 10 open wide the doc
for the reception and naturalization
OF foreigners. But there are none tn,
less some very striking differences il
the laws of nations as affecting tn,
strangers within their gates
Great Britain, for instance, differ
materially from continental nations il
the opportunities she offers foreigner
resident in that country 10 natural
ize"-that is TO say, to become on an alb
solute equality with the "natural-borr
subject"
Its rules are very simple in the mat
ter. Any foreigner who has been O
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,
Cor 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 Briton as if he
had been born there.
In Austria a 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 il 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 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 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
well-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 eit-theoretically, at
least-their citizenship.
Some nations are very jealous of TAX
ing man back once he has. by nat
uralizing, ceased to be a citizen of the
land of his birth. France, in this re-
spect, has perhaps the wisest rule. A
trenchman ceases TO be Frenchman
If he accepts Office under foreign gov
ernment without permission, or even II
he establishes himself abroad for a
lengthy period. But he can again be-
come a 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-
ate phase of the naturalization ques- !
ion, and, despite the fact that there is
considerable body of international
nw On tho s,,Hja,.. .ii-- e,------.--.--. -
.ween states frequently occur, and have
assumed serious dimen-
lions. 1t has also cropped up in the
lransvaal controversy.
Up to very recent years England did
lot allow an Englishman who had nat
lralized in another country to become
gain British subject; and even now,
nee he has repudiated his nationality.
Ie ceases, for the time being, to be un-
Ter British protection, or of any more
oncen to Britannia than Pole or a
'paniard.
Russia has very funny naturalization
avs. Anyone may become a subject
4 the czar by taking the oath of allie
ience to him, and this he can, if he
hooses, renounce at pleasure. But with
atural-born Russian subjects the law
$ extremely strict, and the car can
all any of these back TO Russia at any
moment he chooses and compel them to
i've there.
Another funny point-and one
earcely liked by advanced women-is
hat the wife always takes her hus-
and's nationality, even if he alters il
alf dozen times.-Cinoinnat En-
uirer.