The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-26
THE NEW KNOW.NOTHTNGISM.
Tho Amendment OF tine NATURALIZATION
Laws Demanded.


this date. l hope it will have the effect
to draw out numerous letters from Ameri-
can citizens ito the manner born" In ex-
position Of the irreparable injury this co,ln-
try has sustained through the operation
Of our naturalization laws (enacted mder
permission Of the Constitution OF the tnlted
States), an injury from which we are linble
TO suffer In a far greater degree II there
are not more Gregorys on the bench TO
discriminate iudicially in the alministra-
ton OF the law.
The injury the naturalization OF the thou
sands of foreigners who cannot speak in
diligently our language, nor write nor
speak correctly their own is doing our
country, in a political sense, Ia not confined
TO the uses made Of their votes Thousands
OF our most intelligent citizens. upon whose
votes our Government is, in theory, founded,
are induced to withdraw in disgust from
participation in our elections.
Had there been arriving daily in our har-
bors cargoes Of thousands of the very low
est and most ignorant natives OF southern
Europe at the time our Constitution was
written there would not have been any
such permissive provision In 1t, AT that
time ships navigating the Atlantic Ocean
were few and Of small tonnage, all the for
eigners who came here were of the better
classes Of their native countries, and they
we're n desirable acquisition to this. Hence
that liberal provision that was pregnant
with no much evil.
As matter of fact the immigrants do
not need the franchise They, In common
with our citizens, are protected by our laws
N a nf
and, furthermore, il is not the requirement
OF citizenship that led to their immigration.
Their motive was twofold to escape from
the oppression of the monarchical coun-
tries they were horn in. and, far more than
that, to find opport unities for their labor
at FAR better compensation than they ever
had or ever could have in their native
countries, This would be clearly proved
if our naturalization laws were to be re-
pealed. The volume of immigration would
not decrease. The great steamship lines
would keep their agents at work all over
Europe gathering up cargoes.
The immigrants would be content to
labor and accumulate money, as thy now
do, under the protection of our laws II
would be sufficient for their children, born
and reared here, to inherit the great privi-
lege of citizenship
The great example we find in the Bible
where the children of Israel were detained
in the wilderness for period of forty years
under the care and guidance of the great
lawgiver, who trained their descendants
So as to qualify them to inheri. "the land
that flowed with milk and honey So
should the Immigrants he restrained from
citizenship during the full period Of their
lives, but their children, born and educated
under the protection and instruction Of
our laws and institutions, would become
inheritors as q birthrght
The present DrDViSiOn of ih0 Cpnatitll.
ton should be amended Iy striking ont the
words pass uniform laws Of nafuralizn-
ton" and substituting the words confer
citizenship on persons Of foreign birth who
shall have resided for a period Of FIVE wears
in the United States and distinguished
themselves in the arts, sciences or indus
tries" BY such n law the right of suffrage
would be raised from the low place in the
public mind it now occupies, and our DO
iitical atmosphere would be clarified.
Such amendment OF the Constitution
is not necessary to enable Congress- to re-
peal the present law; but 70 confer ths
great honor and distinction OF citizenship
in the manner suggested an amendment
would be necessary.
When there appears a man in our Con-
gress who introduces bill to repeal the
present naturalization laws and another
TO amend the Constitution in that respect
and declares that he sought his seat for
that sole purpose and that he will willingly
leave it at the end of his term il his con-
sttuents manfestly disapprove his course
when a Member of Congress takes such
action and makes a speech on the intro
duction of his bill, holdly pointing out
TO the country the vicioUsness of the eS-
listing law and declaring his intention to
give all his abilities to the furthering of such
measures, the country will see patriot
who is determined to devote himself To his
country's good. The man who will do that.
If he Is man Of force, will thereby enter
upon career of great political distinction.
The great trouble Ia that the naturalized
vote has become so large that the ordinary
man who attans seat in Congress has not
the moral courage to take a stand against
its increase from fear of it's possible ad-
verse effect on his candidacy for reelection.
Therefore, under such conditions, the
naturalized vote will continue TO increase
with the increase of immigration.
Respecting the requirements Cf the law,
that an immigrant shall have resided here
for five years and in due form have de-
clared his intention to become citizen
before he can lawfully obtain a certificate
Of citizenship 1t can be said that the public
conviction Is that the law in those respects
ia entirely disregarded, and that all male
immigrants are naturali2ed in time to EN-
able them to vote at the first general cleo
tion after their landing
non Already issued, there Is general con-
ara fraudulent and sLonId in sow, va n rH