The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1904-12-06


secretary Of state, recommending an
appropriation for a commission to
study the Industrial and commercial
conditions In the Chinese empire and
to report as to the opportunities for
and the obstacles to the enlargement
Of markets in China for the raw prod
ucts and manufactures Of the United
States. Action was not taken thereon
during the last session l cordially
urge that the recommendation receive
at your hands the consideration which
its Importance and timeliness merit"
In his annual message of 1899 he
again called attention to this recon-
mendation, quoting it, and stated fur
Their:
Il now renew this recommendation,
as the Importance Of the subject has
steadily grown since it was first sub
mitted to you, and no time should be
lost in studying for ourselves the re-
sources of this great field for Ameri-
can trade and enterprise"
The Importance of securing proper
information and data with a view to
the enlargement Of our trade with Asia
Is undiminished. Our consular repre-
sentatives in China have strongly
urged place for permanent display
Of American products in some promi-
nent trade center Of that empire under
government control and management
as an effective means Of advancing our
export trade therein. l call the atten-
ton Of the congress to the desirability
Of carrying out these suggestions.
immigration and Naturalization.
In dealing with the questions Of i'm
migration and naturalization it is in
dispensable to keep certain facts ever
before the minds Of those who share in
enacting the laws. First and foremost
let US remember that the question Of
being a good American has nothing
whatever to do with a mans birth.
place any more than it has to 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 citiZenshiH,
and that not merely in one but in every
field OF. American activity, while to try
to draw distinction between the man
whose parents came to this country
and the man whose ancestors came to
It several generations back is a mere
absurdity. Good Americanism is a mat
ter Of heart, of conscience, Of lofty as
piration, of sound common sense, but
not Of birthplace or Of creed The med
al Of honor, the highest prize to be won
by those who serve in the army and
the navy Of the United States deco
rates men born here, and it also deco
rates men born in Great Britain and
Ireland, 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 philanthropic endeavor, it 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 ancestors stepped
ashore into the wooded wilderness at
Plymouth or at the mouth of the Hud-
son, the Delaware or the James nearly
three centuries ago. No fellow citizen
OF ours is entitled to any peculiar re-
gard because Of the way in which he
worships his Maker or because Of the
birthplace Of himself Or his parents,
NOR should he be in any way discrimi-
mated against therefor. Each must
stand on his worth as a man. and each
Is entitled to be judged solely thereby.
There is no danger of having too
many immigrants of the right kind. 1t
makes no difference from what coun-
try they come. If they are sound in
body and in mind and above all if they
are Of good character. SO that we can
rest assured that their children and
grandchildren will be worthy fellow
citizens Of our children and grandchl-
dren, then we should welcome them
with cordial hospitality.
But the citizenship of this country
should not be debased. 1t is vital that
we should keep high the standard of
well being among our wageworkers,
and therefore we should not admit
masses of men whose standards of liv-
ing and whose personal customs and
habits are such that they tend to lower
the level Of the American wagewOrk-
er, and above all we should not admit
any man Of an unworthy type, any
man concerning whom we can say
that he will himself be a bad citizen or
that his children and grandchildren
will detract 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 natural
ization Of improper persons, is a curse
to our government, and it 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 and improper naturalization
Of aliens coming to the attention Of the
executive branches Of the government
have increased to an alarming de-
gree. Extensive sales Of forged certifi-
Gates Of naturalization have been dis.
covered as well as many cases Of nat
uralization secured by perjury and
fraud, and, in addition, instances have
accumulated showing that many courts
Issue certificates Of naturalization care
lessly and upon insufficient evidence
Under the constitution it is in the