The San Francisco call., 1904-12-07
Foreign ammlgramt9
and Haturallkation
Citizenship of the United States
Should Be Guarded against
DebGSemenf.

In dealing with the questions Of i'm
migration and naturalization il is in
oispensable 10 keep certain facts ever
before the minds Of those who share
IN enacting the laws. First and fore
most. let US remember that the ques-
ton Of being a good American has
nothing whatever 70 do with a mans
birthplace any more than il has 10 do
with his creed. In every generation
from the time this Government was
founded men Of foreign birth have
. stood in the very foremost rank OF good
citizenship and that not merely in one
but in every field Of American activity;
while 10 try 10 draw a distinction be-
tween the man whose parents came TO
this country and the man whose ances-
tors came 10 IL several generations
back is a mere absurdity. Good Amer
iCsnism is q matter Of heart. Of con-
science. Of lofty aspiration. Of sound
common sense. but not OF birthplace
or of creed The medal OF honor, the
highest prize 10 be won by those who
serve in the army and the navy OF the
United States. decorates men born here,
and it also decOrates men born in
Great Britain and Ireland. in Germany,
IN Scandinavia, IN France and doubt
less in other countries also. In the
field II craftsmanship. in the field of
business, in the field Of philanthropic
endesvOr. IL is equally true that among
the men Of whom We are most proud
as Americans no distinction whatever
car be dra Wn between those who them
selves or whose parents came over in
sailing ship or steamer from across the
water and those whose ancestors step
ped ashore into the wooded wilderness
at Plymouth or a. the mouth Of the
Hudson, the Delaware or the James
nearly three centuries ago No fellow
cullsr regard because Of the way in
which he Worships his Maker, or be-
cause ~ the birthplace OF himself or
his parents. nor should he be in any
way Disseminated against therefor.
Each must stand on his worth as a
man and each is entitled 10 be judged
solely thereby.
There is no danger OF having too
many immigrants Of the right kind.
Il makes no difference from what coun-
Try they come. II they are sound IN
BODY and IN mind, and, above all. il
they are OF good character. so that we
can rest assured that their children and
grandchildren viii be worthy fellow
citizens Of our children and grand
children. then We should welcome them
with cordial hospitality.
But tho citizenship Of this country
should not be debased- II is vital that
we should keep high the standard Of
=
snc therefore We should not admit
masses Il men whose standards Of Iiv-
INK and whose personal customs and
habits are such that they tend 10 lower
the level Of the American wage-worker:
and above al We should not admit any
man of an unworthy type. any man
concerning whom we can say that he
VIII himself be bad citizen. or that
his children and grandchildren will de-
tract from instead OF adding 10 the sum
n The good citizenship Of the country.
Similarly We should take the greatest
care about naturalization. Fraudulent
naturalization. the naturalization Of
improper persons. is curse 70 our
Government. and II is the affair OF
every honest voter, wherever born, to
see that no fraudulent voting is al
lowed. that no fraud in connection with
naturalization is permitted
IN the past year the cases OF false.
fraudulent ard improper naturalization
Of aliens coming 20 the attention OF the
executive branches Of the Government
have increased 10 an alarming degree
Extensive sales OF forged certificates
OF naturalization have been discovered
as well as many cases OF naturalization
secured BY perjury and fraud; and in
addition. instances have accumulated
showing that many courts issue certifi-
Gates Of naturalization carelessly and
upon insufficient evidence.
Under the constitution il is in the
power q the Congress TO establish a
uniform rule OF naturalization, and
numerous laws have from time TO time
been enacted for that purpose. which
have been supplemented in few States
by State laws having special applica-
tion- The Federal statutes permit nat
uralizatiOn by any court OF record in
the United States having common law
jurisdiction and a seal and clerk. ex-
cept-Lhe police court Of the District Of
Columbia. and nearly all these courts
exercise this important function. II
results that where so many courts OF
such varying grades have Jurisdiction.
there is lack Of uniformity in the rules
applied in cOnferring naturalization
Some courts are strict and others lax.
Al alien who may secure naturalization
in one place might be denied il in al
other. and the intent OF the constitu-
tioual provision is in fact defeated.
Furthermore. the certificates Of natur-
alizstion issued by the courts differ
widely in wording and appearance. and
when they are brought into use in for
eign countries are frequently subject TO
suspicion.