The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-12-30

699, $40; South Atlantic division, 32,373;
North Central division, 221, $50; South
Central division, 1870; Western di7is-
ion. 1851; Porto Rico, Hawaii and
Alaska, 13,76O.
llliteracy among Immigrants, while it
may not extned beyond the first genera
ton, offers wide field for speculation as
to the possibilities it engenders in that
generation. Careless naturalization Off
GERS, incompetent or indifferent judges,
currupt and corrupting politicians, are
the parts of the naturalization machine
which make the illiterate immigrant dam
gerotis. The combination Of an ignorant
immigrant who sees in the exercise of
suffrage only the change to make two or
five dollars, the political heeler who edu-
Gates him in that view, and the partizan
judge forms a combination which too
often controls the result Of an election.
In the larger cities especially, where the
tide of immigration sets most strongly,
they form an important part Of the
strength of the dominant political ma
chine.
As for most of the other immigration
ills, the only specific cure for this one is
to get the immigrants away from the big
cities. The next best thing is to more
rigidly draw the safeguarding INES
around the process of naturalization.
That the making of new citizens is now
too easy is generally admitted by all but
the politicians. The requirements are
not strict enough, the judges have too
much latitude, too much discretion in the
deciding of whether or not the applicant
is qualified to become good, intelligent
citizen. The mere fact that man has
lived in the country FIVE years is not
enough. That the cost of his natural
cation is paid, directly or indirectly, by
in itself, be enough to debar him forever.
The man who cannot make sacrifice to
be citizen is not worthy of citizenship.
The fact thatSa would-be citizen allows
somebody else to pay fer his papers
makes it foregone consulsion that he
will be just as plant and Indifferent con-
cerning his vote.
Several recommendations on this sub
jeet which are worthy of consideration,
and will probably be thrashed out in
Congress before the session ends, have
been made by the Naturalization Com
alaissiesssss e Rhiehs President
Roosevelt alluded in his recent message
To prevent naturalization for political
purposes, the commission would make the
fee for citizenship papers at least 81,
and would not permit any administrations
for at least thirty days prior to a Pres
idential or Congressional election. 1t
would abolish the present system of hav-
fore any clerk of a. court at least two
years before natura Eza ton, and would
require in its place the fling of a peti-
tion with the clerk of the court in which
the naturalization Is to take place, al
least three months before the proceed
ings are heard, a copy of this petition
to be sent to the National Bureau of
Naturalization, which it is recommended
should be established in Washington
Probably the most radical and vital
change in the system recommended, how
ever. is the taking from local courts of
jurisdiction in naturalization cases. In
cities where a federal court holds fre-
quent sittings. the commission would
have all petitions fled and cases heard
in that court. Where there is no federal
court 1t would give jurisdiction to only
one specified State court. The enforce
ment of the law would be placed in the
hands Of the Naturalization Bureau, TO
be made part of the Department of
Labor and Commerce. and part of the
naturalization fees would go TO that
bureau to cover the cost Of its work.
Whether any of these recommenda
tons will meet with the approval of Con-
gress remains to be seen. The fact that
Senator Lodge and dozen other mem
bers of both houses have naturalization
bills now on the files, however, is a
healthy indication Of the attention the
subject is attracting.
The immigration end of the question is
one which Congress may dispose of.
There are others which it cannot so read
lily leg,slate upon. The question of how
to keep out of the country, how to dis
courage from immigration from Their
own homes the horde of diseased, pauper
and criminal immigrants, is one. The
agents of railroads and steamship lines
scattered through Europe urging people