The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-09

ehe certificate of NATURALIZATION q state
"ene OF when and where he was born.
~Heh ne was naturalized and what ship
Dousnl MIN TO this country are essential.
a the state Department suspects that the
"pphcant secured his naturalization papers
-on raise statements a passport is refused
"" All applicants are scrutinized careful
= ana the number of frauds practiced upon
"e department is growing smaller every
10Y All citizens, no matter If native-born
"osuldhzeo, rank the same in applying
~ a passport. and are equally likely to
o 0"H one upon application, provided no
improper purpose in going abroad be sus-
pected or proved.
Inc methods of procedure i'm seeking a
passport are two: Direct application may
DC maoe or the secretary of state and the
essential blanks filed put. A notary public
may De utilized as an agent if the applicant
mus IL lmpracticable to come to the state
apartment. The place of birth and afr
"duOns or Identifying witnesses NAV be
eaAeh oy MIN and transmitted to the State
department.. The application should be
accompanied by a description of the per-
Soh' stating the age, stature and character
Vi MS forehead, eyes, nose, mouth. chin.
hoii' complexion and face. If the party is
- DC accompanied by his wife, minor chill
ufeh or servants, IT will be sufficient 10
S'ale the names and ages of such persons
anu their relationship to the applicant when
d single passport for the whole will suf-
nee. For any other person in the party
d separate passport will be required. A
"omans passport may include the chill
oren and servants. BY act of Congress a
lee OF one dollar is charged for every citi-
zens passport. A passport is good two
years from it's date and cannot be renewed.
II the holder desires to stay abroad longer
he must send in a new application and a
new fee. The passport division Of the State
Department is now admirably conducted
oy Messrs. Gillard Hunt and James b.
Philip.
II CHANGES PROPOSED.
The changes which it is proposed shall be
made in the passport are intended to in
crease it's efficiency. After a statement that
the bearer is a citizen of the United States
and a request that protection be given him
by the powers to whom he may appeal,
with the name Of the owner Of the pass
port and the signature and seal of the
secretary OF state, the document contains
filled-in spaces which describe the original
O"N' 1Ao oStb StalQlt, ~ pc " Il lOItIedu,
eyes, nose, mouth, chin, hair, complexion
and face are added. This description was
intended TO serve as a means of identifca-
ton, but as may readily be seen ii fails
to identify. Two parties entirely unlike in
most particulars have often been found to
answer the same description, and, as has
been said in the beginning of this article,
this has led the postoffice officials in foreign
countries to pay money and give mail to
persons who falsely pretended to be those
to whom the money and mail rightfully be-
longed. The case with which two men may
be found to correspond to the description
has made the passport practically worth
less as a means of identification.
The identification book which has come
into general use in European countries and
has been produced by a private firm in the
United States, where it has filled a long
felt want and found a ready sale, bids fair
to displace the passport as a means of iden-
tifcation, and certain features of the book
will be grated into the passport. The book
consists of a description of the buyer and
his signature, the genuineness of which the
postmaster who sells him the book attests.
A distir ctive feature is a photograph of the
rightful owner of the book tied in with rib
bons and sealed SO that the picture cannot
be removed without breaking the seal.
The request that all mail addressed to
the party whose name is on the book be
delivered to the bearer if he be the person
whose picture accompanies the book, If the
signature which he writes infinitely CORE
spends with the one in the book, completes
the means of Identification.
The picture idea it is proposed to add to
the passport form. The Identification. book
is extensively used in Italy, and it is COM
pulsory upon French citizens to carry them
as an aid in identification in cases of acct
dent. Such a document poked under the
nose of a suspicious and skeptical post
master who refuses to hand over the mail
or funds which are waiting for a traveller
cannot fail with it's threefold tests of iden-
MISUNDERSTANDING, description and pho
~tograph-to convince him.
The passport in these days of peace is
almost useless except as a means of ideu-
LITIGATION to the ordinary tourists who do
not depart from the beaten track of travel
key or the Asiatic countries, and since the
passport does not identify it will give way
TO the Identification book, unless Congress
in its wisdom sees fit to embody in the doc
ument the signature and Photographic fea-
lures, which give to the book its especial
value.