The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-12-06

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 it also decorates men born
in Great Britain and Ireland, in Ger
many. in Scandinavia, in France and
doubtless in other countries also.
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, as well as many
cases of naturalization secured by
perjury and fraud; and in addition,
instances have accumulated showing
that many courts issue certificates of
naturalization carelessly and upon in
sufficient evidence.
Revise Naturalization Laws.
There should be a comprehensive
revision 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; pub
LEGATION 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
the country, and the courts should
he required to make returns to the
secretary of state at stated periods
Of all naturalizations conferred.
Laws Concerning Citizenship.
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 subject of scientific inquiry with
a view to probable further legislation.
BY what acts expatriation may be as
sumed to have been accomplished,
how long an American citizen may
reside abroad and receive the protec-
ton of our passport, whether any
degree of protection should be ex-
tended to one who has made the dec
laration of intention to become citi-
zen of the United States but has not
secured naturalization, are questions
of serious import, involving personal
rights and often producing friction
between this government and foreign
governments. I recommend that an
examination be made into the sub
jects of citizenship. expatriation and
protection of Americans abroad, with
view to appropriate legislation.
Delays in Criminal Prosecutions.
No subject is better worthy the at
ton of the report of the attorney gen.
eral dealing with the long delays and
the great obstruction to Justice ex-
perienced in the cases of Beavers,
Green and Gaynor and Benson. Were
these isolated and special cases, l
should not call your attention to
them; but the difficulties encountered
as regards these men who have been
indicted for criminal 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 man who has
no money, and difficult of enforce
ment, even to the point of sometimes
securing immunity, as regards the
man who has money.
ALASKA.
Alaska, like all our territorial ac-
QUESTIONS, has proved resourceful be-
You'd the expectation of those who
made the purchase. 1t has become the
home of many hardy, Industrious and
thrifty American citizens. Towns of
permanent character have been
built. The extent of it's wealth in
minerals, timber, fisheries and agri-
culture, while great, is probably not
comprehended yet in any just meas
ure by our people. We do know, how
ever, that from very small begin
ming it's products have grown until
they are a steady and material con-
tribution to the wealth of the nation.
Owing to the immensely of Alaska
and it's location in the far north, it
is a difficult matter to provide many
things essential to it's growth and to
the happiness and comfort of it's
people by private enterprise alone. 1t
should, therefore, receive reasonable
aid from the government. The gov
work for Alaska in laying cables and
building telegraph lines. This work
has been done in the most economical
and efficient way by the signal corps
of the army.
I believe it essential to good gov
eminent in Alaska, and therefore
recommend, that the congress divest
the district judges and the clerks of
their courts of the administrative or
executive functions that they now ex-
ercise and cast them upon the gov
ernor.
l also recommend that the salaries
of the district Judges and district
attorneys in Alaska be increased so
as to make them equal to those re-
ceived by corresponding officers in
the United States after deducting the
difference in the cost of living; that
the district attorneys should be pro-
hibited from engaging in private
practice; that United States commits
riopora he appointed by the governor