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

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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 wording
Of all certificates issued should be uni
form throughout the country, and the
courts should be required to make re-
turns 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 sub
| ject of scientific inquiry with view to
| probable further legislation. BY what
| acts eXpatriation may be assumed to
| have been accomplished, how long an
American citizen may reside abroad
and receive the protection of our pass
port, whether any degree of protection
should be extended to one who has
made the declaration Of intention to be-
come a citizen 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. Yet upon these
questions our laws are silent. l recon-.
mend that an examination be made in
to the subjects Of citizenship, expatrfa-
ton and protection of Americans
abroad, with "a view to appropriate
legislation.
Protection Of Elections.
The power of the government to pro-
Rect the integrity of the elections of
its own officials is inherent and has
been recognized and affirmed by re-
peated decl0ra tons of the supreme.
court. There is no enemy Of free gov
eminent more dangerous and none so
insidious as the corruption of the elect
crate. No one defends or excuses cor
ruption, and it would seem to follow
that none would oppose vigorous meas
ures to eradicate it. I recommend the
enactment of a law directed against
bribery and corruption in federal cleo
lions. The details Of such law may
be safely left to the wise discretion of
the congress, but it should go as far as
under the constitution it is possible to
go and should include severe penalties
against him who gives or receives
bride intended to influence his act Or
opinion as an electOr, and provisions
for the publication not only OF the ex-
penaitures FOR nominations and cleo
tons Of all candidates. but also Of all
contributions received and expendi-
lures made by political committees.
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 eXpe-
rienced 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 Grim
inal 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
amounts in effect to making the law
easy Of enforcement against the man
who has no money and difficult of en-
forcement, even to the point Of some
times securing immunity, as regards
the man who has money. In criminal
cases the writ of the United States
should run throughout it's borders. The
wheels of justice should not be clog
ged, as they have been clogged in the
cases above mentioned, where it has
proved absolutely impossible to bring
the accused to the place appointed by
the constitution for his trial. OF re-
cent years there has been grave and
increasing complaint of the difficulty
of bringing to justice those criminals
whose criminality instead Of being
against one person in the republic is
against all persons in the republic, be-
cause it is against the republic itself.
Under any circumstance and from the
very nature Of the case it is often ex-
ceedingly difficult to secure proper pun
ishment of those who have been guilty
of Wrongdoing against the government.
By the time the offender can be
brought into court the popular wrath
against him has generally subsidized,
! and there is in most instances very
slight danger indeed of any prejudice
existing in the minds Of the jury
against him. At present the interests
of the innocent man are amply safe
guarded, but the interests of the gov
ernment-that is, the interests Of hon
| est administration; that is, the interests
of the people-are not recognized as
they should be. No subject better war
rants the attention Of the congress.
Indeed no subject better warrants the
attention Of the bench and the bar
throughout the United States.
Alaska.
Alaska, like all our territorial &C.
QUESTIONS, has proved resourceful be-
yOnd the expectations Of those who
made the purchase. 1t has become the
home Of many hardy, Industrious and
thrifty American citizens. Towns of a
permanent character have been built.
The extent Of it's wealth in minerals,
timber, fisheries and agriculture, while
great, is probably not comprehended
yet in any just measure by our people.
| We do know, however, that from a
| vnr itc, hov