The Washington times., 1904-12-06
FREE FROM EPIGRANIS; FULL OF FACTS

let US remember that the question Of
being good American has nothing
whatever TO do with a mans birth
place any more than it has 20 do with
his creed In every generation from
the Time this Government WAS founded
men OF foreign birth have stood IN thf
very foremost rank OF good citizenship.
and that not merely IN one but IN
every Held of American activity; while
TO try to draw a distinction between the
man whose parents came to this coun-
try and the man whose ancestors came
10 II several generations back Is a mere
absurdity.
Good Americanism is a matter OF
heart. OF conscience, of lofty aspiration.
Of sound common sense. but not of
birthplace or of creed. The medal Of
honor, the highest prize TO be won by
, those who serve In the army and navy
of the United States, decorated men
born here, and Il also decOfGtes men
born in Great Britain ard Ireland, In
Germany, In Scandinavia, IN France.
and doubtless Ia other countries also.
IN the field of craftsmanship, IN the
field of business. in the field OF philan-
thropic endeavor. IL IS equally true that
among the men OF whom we are most
proud as Americans no distinction what
ever can be drawn between those who
themselves or whose parents came over
/ I'm sailing ship or steamer from across
the water and those whose ancestors
| STEPPED ashore into the wooded wilder
ness at Plymouth or at the mouth of the
I Hudson, the Delaware, or the James
nearly three centuries ago. No fellow
citizen of ours Is entitled TO any pecul-
| TAR regard because Of the way IN which
I he worships his Maker, or because OF
the birthplace of himself or bis parents,
nor should he be in any way discrimin-
ated against therefor. Each must stahd
on his worth as a man and each IS en-
titled to be judged solely thereby.
There is no danger of having too
many immigrants of the night kind.
/ /. makes no difference from what coun-
/ try they come. III they are sound In
/ body and in mind, and, above all, II
! they are Of good character, so that We
I can rest assured that their children and
grandchildren Will be worthy fellow
I citizens of our children and grandchil-
0Ten. then we should welcome them with
cordial hospitality.
High Grade of Citizens.
But the citizenship of this country
should not be debased. It is vital that
we should keep high the standard Of
well-being among our wage-workers,
and therefore we should not admit
masses OF men whose standards Of liv-
| ing and whose personal customs and
/ habits arc such that they tend TO lower
| the level Of the American wage-worker;
and above all we should not admit any
man Of an unworthy type, any man
concerning whom we can say that ne
VIII himself be a bad citizen, or that
Eids children and grandchildren VIII de-
| Tract from instead Of adding TO the sum
/ OF the good citizenship OF the country
Similarly We should take the greatest
care about naturalization. Fraudulent
naturalization. the na turalizatiOn OF I'M
proper. persons. is a curse u our Gov
eminent. and IL Is the affair or every
honest voter wherever born. 10 see that
no fraudulent voting is allowed. that no
| fraud in connection with naturalization
| is permitted