The Washington times., 1904-09-18
Tremendous Cheat Against the American
Franchise Committed by an Organized
Extra-TerritoriaI Band.
PAPERS BOUGHT AND SOLD
LIKE BILLS OF EXCHANGE
Thousands of Foreign Ready-Made ''Vot-
ers, With Other Mems Papers-Docu-
mentS Peddled for Few Francs.

States before. those who speak a little
English, or even those who have served
N the army and navy, and have been
about bit, are TO be relied upon 10 pass
into the United States on the fraudulent
papers, but the absolute greenhorn
would certainly be trapped by the in
spectors. 80 the device employed TO
keep the papers from being cOnfscated
IS for the representative on board the
emigrant shtp-usuaIi5- member OF the
crew. frequently the interpre,eE - chief
horns and TO draw them into CONVEX
sation on the matter
He will tell them that they have been
buncoed, and that II they attempt to
use the papers they win be arrested and
sent to prison, the papers taken away
from them and then, after $they have
served their terms. they VIII be depOrt-
co de VIII end by Offering francs for
the papers as a Kindness saying lie
can collect the rebate when he returns
to the port of departure
The poor immigrant usually gives up
his papers. and is cut all the money
over francs which he paid for them.
Sometimes they persist IN using the pa
pers, and often they get through, but
quite a large percentage OF this green
horn class comes to grief.
Catch at Ellis Island.
The extent OF the system can be
imagined when It IS said that at Ellis
Island alone. the last place for vshich
doubtful emigrants embark. almost one
hundred and fifty men have been caught
since last February in possession OF
fraudulent papers and have been turned
over 70 the Federal authorities for pun
ishment- Especial vigilance IN this mat
ter began with Commissioned Williams
regime.
But as to the clever one. there IS a
different story 10 tell They voyage to
this country armed with citizen papers,
and II the company owning the ship
does not wish to put them on the mani
fest our law does not compel II 10 do So
There IS nothing TO prevent an fmui-
grant, armed with bogus citizen papers.
from walking ashore on arrival, except
that the immigration inspectors. backed
only by regulation and not BY law. en-
deavCr 20 give all such an examination
on board ship.
But this Is something that must Do
done hastily. An Inspector can hardly
go back Of the papers. and when he
he can do IS TO order the suspect sent
20 Ellis Island for detention Until a let
ter IS written 10 the court that issued
the paper. II the court answers IhaN
such a paper was issued the man Is let
go, and there is no means under heaven
OF proving that he IS not the man named
in the paper unless he Is trapped into
admitting II,
New Law Needed.
And what protection has America
against this gigantic fraud-thfs real
menace to her institutions? Only the
most scattered, desultOry. and IudicrouS
defense. There is a crying need for a
new naturalization law that win take
the process out OF the hands OF the
minor courts. which ere very largely
under political influence. and bring il
under strict and absolute Federal con-
The men whose sole business is 10
make bogus citizens for political pur-
/ poses are bold about it-and they waste
no time when once they think they see
The eighth day after he had arrived
I in this country one OF the Italisns IN
/ the party OF immigrants which 1
brought over in October OF last year
was approached by a friend frcm the
same commune who had been Two FEARS
/ IN the United States.
/ Whom are YOU going 20 vote for
I Low or McClellan2" asked the friend
! why. 1 cannot vote / am not
citizen" exclaimed NunZio-
/ The friend laughed loud and long
| You are more Of q fool than
| thought you We're" he said. I nave
y Oted twice, and am Just as Elucn .. .
citizen as anybody. See here, you come
around tomorrow night 20 the polluctA
club 10 which I belong and l will intro
duce you 20 a man Who VIII SCI yol 49,. =
ter you. and VIII give you $ on election
'- Nunzio Indignantly refused. ard said
- TT IL that is what YOU call being
! citizen i don't want 10 be a citizen, ana
/ I don't think much of voting IN Amer
ica."
Making Fraudulent Citizens
The ordinary course Of these fraudu-
Ilent certificates is illustrated in the
hypothetical case of Max koppelwicz'
a Hungarian Jew. who. having arrived
in Chicago IN May. by october lad be-
come suficiently initiated into the DIRK
land devious ways OF the foreign quarter
m ne in nowise suspicious when his
cousin. who has been IN the country
sever. wears. and speaks English comes
/ to him. and says; -.
| I've are going 10 have hard ngnt
lin this district. and the boss wants me
TO line up as many of my friends As
/ nossibIe. I want you TO get natural
led right away, and In IeW WeShs
10 vote the way I tell YOU / old JnhI
for boss long before he was a BOSS
land now see what "a good job ! nave
bureau. and can still attend 60 my own
business. il will only take about lMo
hours time. and you VIII make - ne
boss will nav all the expenses
/ KoppelWicZ, nothing lOdth. goes on the
/ following Monday with his cousin ana
/ meets one of the Lenchmen. a man who
is known in all Chicago as political
worker OF the most partisan stamp, ana
| whose every action win be backed By
/ the boss OF his ward What he does Is
as the boss doing IL himself. II he
| makes a promise, the boss viii keep IL.
the boss man. after taking i,ccurate
! memoranda Of the names OF KoppelwicZ
and his cousin, and the age, birthplace,