The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-08-19
UNION. s. c., AUGUST 10, 1904
DANGEROUS IMMIGRANTS.

Whether or not there is or will be
an awakening in this country to the
danger Of giving the right Of citizen
ship indiscriminately to the immi-
grants who have been focking here
for the past few years, it is true that
recent events in the transoceanic inn
migration business have opened the
eyes to the possibilities for evil which
lie in the future. Considering this
phase Of the steamship cut-rate war
which has been the means Of bring
ing more foreigners in Il bunch to
these shores than at any previous
time in our history, there is gratiti-
cation to be found in the fact that
naturalization courts are becoming
more careful. On many recent oc-
casions, men who were plainly not
qualified to become citizens have
been refused the privilege Of swear
ing allegiance to the United States
government and taking the part of
citizens in it's administration, and
while it is not likely that drastic
measures will be imm ediately ap-
piled to keep out forever those who
might in time learn the things they
do not now know, the trend is to-
ward higher requirements. An ex-
Il ~ lot hoo honn
set by St. Louis Judge who a few
days ago refused to admit foreigner
to citizenship because he could not
ernment. This Is onfy ono case
while there are thousands admitted
to citizenship without even a formal
application, especially where the per-
son has few dollars to offer to pre-
vent refusal, the money being fur
nished by some politician. All will
agree that no man should have a
hand in anything of which he is in
densest ignorance, and will hope that
the application of this ruling becomes
general.
In days gone by, there was too
much politics in naturalization. No
one doubts that thousands Of aliens
have become American voters with
out knowing the first principle Of
government, or even the names of
men for whom they exercised the
granted right of suffrage. While
some Of them have become worthy
citizens, it stands to reason that
there is danger in this course that
can hardly be overestimated. One
has but to go into the slums of the
big cities to have this fact brought
home to him with convicting force.
There he can see men herded-"cOl-
onized," the ward bosses call it-and
coached in the art Of voting long be-
fore they are able to read word of
English. One would naturally think
that man who has lived in this
country long enough to be qualified
for citizenship ought at least to be
able to read the language of the coun-
try Of his adoption, but that there
are thousands of cases in which
voters have remained in absolute
ignorance ward records show. And
this in spite Of the so-caIled restric-
tions thrown around the exercise OF
suffrage by the election laws.
But whatever has been the process
of transformation of the ignorant
alien into the ignorant American
voter in the past, there seems to be
hope for the future. Citizenship is
taking on higher meaning. Some
day, it will be generally agreed that
the welfare Of the Nation must come
before politics, must come before a
settled increase in the population,
must come before everything. With
out attempting to belittle the achieve
ments Of certain classes of foreigners
who have done large part in the
upbuilding OF this country, we must
stand for q higher degree of intelli-
gence than is exhibited by some who |
are coming now, before we grant |
them voice in the conduct OF the |
Nations affairs. Those who come |
with a desire to do their best in the !
new home should be welcomed and |
encouraged, but that other class
which is content to remain in igno-
rance should be permitted to have no
part in government.