Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-12-06

tlC0 VI i4ic 'DiiSitoo " NAN
Of carrying out these suggestions.
Immigration and Naturalization
In dealing with the questions Of I'M
migration and naturalization it Is in
dlspensable TO 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 to do with mans
birthplace any more than 1t 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 citizenship. and that not merely
in one bur in every field OF American
activity.
There Is no danger Of having too
many immigrants Of the right KIM,
but the citizenship Of this country
should not he debased. 1t is vital tnat
we should keep high the standard OF
well being among our wageworkers,
and therefore we should not admit
masses of men whose standards OF liy-
ing and whose personal customs and
habits are such that they tend to lower
the level Of the American wageworker,
and above all we should not admit any
man of an unworthy type. Similarly
we should take the greatest care about
naturalization. Fraudulent naturaliza-
ton, the naturalization Of improper
persons. is n curse to our government
and II Is the affair OF every honest
voter, wherever born, to see that no
fraudulent voting Is allowed, that no
fraud in connection with naturaliza-
ton ls permitted.
Revision of Naturalization Laws.
There should be n comprehensive re-
vision of the naturalization laws. The
courts having power to naturalize
should be definitely named by national
authority, the testimony upon which
naturalization may be conferred should
be definitely prescribed, publication Of
impending naturalization applications
should be required in advance Of their
hearing In court, the form and word
Ing Of all certificates issued should be
uniform throughout the country, and
the courts should be required to make
returns to the secretary Of state at
stated periods of all naturalizations
conferred.
Not only are the laws relating to
naturalization now defective. but those
relating to citizenship OF the United
States ought also to be made the sub
ject of scientific inquiry with a view to
probable further legislation. The pow
err Of the government to protect the in
tegrity Of the elections Of its own off,
clals is inherent and has been recog-
nized and affirmed by repeated dec
larations of the supreme court. There
Is no enemy of free government more
dangerous and none so insidious as
the corruption Of the electorate. I rec
ommend the enactment Of law direct
ed against bribery and corruption In
federal elections.
Delays In Criminal Prosecutions.
No subject is better worthy the at
tention of the congress than that por.
ton of the report of the attorney gen.
eral dealing with the long delays and
the great obstruction to justice expert
eneed in the cases Of Beavers, Green
and Gaynor and Benson. Were these
Isolated and special cases | should not
call your attention to them, but the diff
fculties encountered as regards these
men who have been indicted for erimi-
nal practices are not exceptional. They
are precisely similar In kind to what
occurs again and again in the case Of
criminals who have sufficient means to
enable them TO take advantage Of a
system OF procedure which has grown
up in the federal courts and which
amounts in effect to making the law
easy Of enforcement against the maj
who has no money and difficult Of en-
forcement, even to the point Of some
times securing immunity, rs regards
the man who has money. At present
the interests Of the innocent man are
amply safeguarded but the interests OF
the governnent-that Is, the interests
Of honest administration; that is, the |
interests Of the people-are not recog- |
nized as they should be-
1.-THE president discusses the progress |
Of the territories Of Alaska. Hawaii |
and Porto Rico with recommendations |
for changes in the present system OF |
government of the first named. He de-
sires to see n delegate from Alaska In
Foreign Policy.
The steady aim Of this nation, as Of |
all enlightened nations, should be to |
strive TO bring ever nearer the day
when there shall prevail throughout
the world the peace Of Justice, but
there are kinds Of peace which are
highly undesirable, which are in the
long run as destructive as any war.
The goal to set before us as nation,
the goal which should be set before all
is the attainment of the
peace of justice, of the peace which
zones when each nation is not merely
in its own rights, but
recognizes and performs
IS duty toward others. Generally
peace tells for Righteousness, but IL
here Is conflict between the two then
,ur fealty is due first to the cause of
righteousness. Unrighteous wars are
ommon and unriglteous peace is rare
tut both should be Stunned. The
light of freedom and the responsibility