Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-12-06
Strong But
Conservative Message
tcontIuued from page 81

tConiluucd from phHe 81
heart. OF conscience, OF lofty aspira'
ton. 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 decorates
men born here, and II also decorates
men born In Great Britain and Ire.
land. In Germany. In Scandinavia, In
France, and doubtless In other coun'
tries also. In the field Of statesman
ship. In the field OF business, In the
field OF philanthroplc endeavor. II Is
equally true that among the men OF
whom we are most proud as AmerI'
cans no distinction whatever
can be drawn between those who
themselves or whose parents came
over In sailing ship or steamer from
across the water and those whose an
cestors stepped ashore into the wood
cd wilderness AT Plymouth or at the
mouth Of the Hudson, the Delaware.
or the james nearly three centuries
ago. No fellow-citizen OF ours Is on
titled 10 any peculiar regard because
OF the way In which he worships his
1 luuh't. vi DfAuNbN w INV w
Of himself or his parents, nor should
he be In any way Disseminated
against therefor. Each must stand "a
his worth as a man and each Is en-.
titled to be judged solely therebys
There IL no danger OF having too
many immigrants Of the right kind.
II makes no difference from what
country they come. II they are soJ-f
In body and In mind. and, above all,
If they are Of good character, so thai
We can rest assured that their chill.
dren and grandchildren will be war.
thy fellow-citizens OF our children and
grandchildren. then we should vii
come them with cordial hospitality.
But the citizenship OF this country
should not be debascd. II Is vital
that we should keep high the standard
OF w~ell-being among our wage.wo rk.
crs. and therefore we should not adj
init masses OF men whose standards
of living and whose personal customs
and habits are such that they tend 20
lower the level Of the American wage
worker. and above all we should not
admit any man OF an unworthy tvpc,
any man concerning whom we a say
tina, he will himself be q bad citizen
or that his children and grandchildren
will detract from instead OF adding 10
the sum OF the good citizenship OF
the country. Similarly we sho9ld
take the greatest care about natural
! izatIon Fraudulent naturalization,
the naturalization Of improper per
sons, IL II curse TO our government.
and IL Is the affair Of every honest
voter, wherever born, to see that nc
: fraudulent voting is allowed, thar nc
/, fraud in connection with natnraliza
, lion is permitted.
In the past year the cases Of false
; fraudulent, and improper naturaliza
: ton Of aliens coming to the attention
/ of the executive branches of the gov
eminent have Increased to an alarm
! ing degree, Extensive sales of forged
: certificates OF naturalization have
: been discovered. az well rs many
4 eases OF naturalization secured by
a perjury and fraud. and in addition
instances have accumulated showing
: that many courts issue certificates ol
naturalization carelessly and upon in
sufficient evidence.
Under the constitution It Ia In The
power of congress Ito establish a uni
2 form rule Of naturalization" and nu
4 mefous laws have from time 70 time
Il been enacted for that purpose. which
have been supplemented in q few
states By laws having special applica
I ton. The federal statutes permit NAT
%nralization by any court of record II
The United States having common Law
/ jurisdiction and a seal and clerk, OK
!, eepi the police court of the District
ef Columbia. end nearly all thest
courts exercise this important func
= f3an IT. results that where so many
i eonris of such varying grades have
Jurisdiction. there IL lack Of uniformi
ly IN the rules applied IN conferrinf
I naturalization Some courts are strtci
4 and others Lax. An alien who may SO
cure naturalization In one place might
he denied It In another, and the intent
> of the constitutional provision is II
4 fact defeated Furthermore. the Ger
4 tificates of naturalization issued by
he courts differ widely in wording
: and appearance. and when they arc
z brought into use In foreign countries
are frequently subject to suspicion.
Naturalization Laws Should Be Re
vised.
There should be a comprehensive
: revision Of the naturalization laws
The courts having power to naturalizt
should be definitely named by nation
al authority; the testimony upoI
which naturalization may Ire conferred
should be definitely prescribed; pub
location OF impending naturalization
. applications should be required in ad
/. vance OF their hearing In court: the
form and wording Of all certificates
issued should be uniform throughout
tha country. and the courts should Dt
n required TO make returns 10 the sec