The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-08

the congress- Forgeries and perjuries of shameless and fragrant character have 'been perpetrated, not only in the dense centers of population, but throughout the country; and it is established beyond doubt that very many so-ealled citizens of the United States have no title what ever to that right. and are asserting and enjoying the benefits or the same through the grossest frauds. It is never to be for gotten that citizenship is to quote the words recently used by the supreme court of the United States an "inestimable her itage" whether it proceeds from birth within the country or is obtained by na- turalization; and the poison the sources of our national character and strength at the fountain, if the privilege is claimed and exercised without right, and by means of fraud and corruption. The body polite can not be sound and healthy if many of it's constituent members claim their standing through the prostitution of the high right and calling of citizenship. It should mean something to become a citizen of the United States; and in the process no locphole whatever should be left open to fraud.
 The methods by which these frauds now under full investigation with a view to meting out punishment and providing adequate remedies-are perpetrated in- clude many variations of procedure by which false certificates fraudulently or collusively obtained in blank are filled in by the criminal eonspirators; or certif- cates are obtained on fraudulent state ments as to the time of arrival and resi- dence in this country; or imposition and substitution of another party for the real petitioner occur in court; or certificates are made the subject of barter and sale , and transferred from the rightful holder to those not entitled to them; or certih- cates are forged by erasure of the orig inal names and the insertion of the names of other persons not entitled to the same.
 It is not necessary for me to refer here at large to the causes leading to this state of affairs. The desire for na- turaization is heartily to be commended where it springs from a sincere and per manent intention to become citizens, and real appreciation of the privilege. But it is a source of untold evil and trouble where it is traceable to selfish and dis honest motives, such as the effort by art ificial and improper means, in wholesale fashion to create voters who are ready made tools of corrupt politicians. or the desire to evade certain labor laws creat- ing discriminations against alien labor. All good citizens, whether naturalized or native born, are equally interested in pro- l tSCtill5 oui Cili1SliSllip dSdllol iiduu III any form, and. on the other hand, in affording every facility for naturalization to those who in good faith desire to share alike our privileges and our re- 1 responsibilities.
 The federal grand jury lately in session in New York city dealt with this subject and made a presentment which states the situations briefly and forcibly and con tains important suggestions for the con sideration of congress- This presentment is included in an appendix to the report of the attorney general.
 In my last annual message, in connec- ton with the subject of the due regula- ton of combinations of capital which are or may become injurious to the public I recommended a special appropriation for the better enforcement of the antitrust law as it now stands, to be expended un- der the direction of the attorney general. Accordingly (by the legislative executive, and the judicial appropriation act of Feb ruary 25 1903, 32 Stat, S54 90D, the con gress appropriated, for the purpose of en- forcing the various federal trust and in- | terstate- commerce laws, the sum of five hundred thousand dollars, to be expended under the direction of the attorney gener- al in the employment of special counsel and agents in the department of justice 
 under said laws in the courts of the l United States. I now recommend, as matter of the utmost importance and urgency. the extension of the purposes of ] this appropriation, so that it may be available, under the direction of the att torney general, and until used, for the due enforcement of the laws of the United States in general and especially of the civil laws relating to public lands and the laws relating to postal crimes and offenses and the subject of naturali- zation.
 Appropriation for Enforcing Laws.
 Recent investigations have shown de- plorable state of affairs in these three matters of vital concern. By various frauds and by forgeries and perjuries, thousands of acres of public domain, em- bracing lands of different character and extending through various sections of the country, have been dishonesty acquired. It is hardly necessary to urge the inn portance of recovering these dishonest acquisitions, stolen from the people, and of promptly and duly punishing the of lenders.
 Public Land Frauds.
 I speak in another part of this message of the widespread crimes by which the | serted and that "inestmable heritage" perverted to base ends. By similar means that is. through frauds, forgeries and periuries. and by shameless briberies-- the laws relating to the proper conduct of the public service in the postoffice de- partment have been notoriously violated, and many indictments have been found, and the consequent prosecutions are. in i course of hearing or on the eve thereof. i For the reasons thus indicated, and so i that the government may be prepared to ] enforce promptly and with the greatest effect the due penalties for such viola { tions of law. and to this end may be furn- { ished with sufficient instrumentalities and competent legal assistance for the investi- cations and trials which will be neces- sary at many different points of the coun- try, I urge upon the congress the neces- sity of making the said appropriation available for immediate use for all such purposes, to be expended under the direc- ton of the attorney general.
 Postal Frauds.
 | Steps have been taken by the state de- partment looking to the making of brib- cry an extraditable offense with foreign powers The need of more effective trea- ties covering this crime Is manifest The exposures and prosecutions of official cor ruption in St. Louis. Mo. and otter cities and states have resulted in a number of givers and takers of bribes becoming fu- gitives in foreign lands. Bribery has not i been included in extradtion treaties here i tofore. as the necessity TOT 1t has not arisen. While there may have been as