The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1905-12-08
0 the importanc. Of revising BY appronrl,ts

10 the importance OF revising 6y appropriate
legislation our system OF naturalizlng aliens
appointed last March commission to make
careful examination OF our naturaliZing
laws and 10 suggest appropriate measures
TO avoid the notorious abuses resulting from
the imprOvldeut or unlawful granting OF cit
EenShlp. This commission, composed OF an
officer OF the Department OF State, OF the
Department Of Justice and OF the Depart
ment OF Commerce and Labor, has dis
charged the duty imposed upon it, and has
submitted report. which will be transmitted
10 the Congress FOR its consideration, and I
hope, for its favorable action.
The distinguishing rec8mmtn dati0Hs OF the
commission are:
First A federal bureau Of naturalization.
to be established in the Department OF Com
MERGE and Labor. to supervise the admins
tratiou OF the naturalization laws and TO re-
ceive returns OF ADMINISTRATIONS pending and
accomplished
Second. Uniformity OF naturalization GER
tihcates. fees TO be charged and procedure
Third. More e1actrs qualifications Tor cit
iZenship.
Fourth. The preliminary declaration OF in.
tention to be abolished and no alien TO be
naturalized until at least ninety days after
The fling Of his petition
Fifth. jurisdiction to natural2e aliens
to be confined to United states district courts
and TO such State courts as have Jurisdiction
in civil actions tn which the amount in con-
troyerSy Is unlimited in cities OF over 100
900 inhabitants the United States district
courts 20 have exclusive jurisdiction in the
naturalization OF the alien residents OF such
cities.
Criminal Laws.
Legislation to make our criminal
laws more effective and to provide ad-
equate punishment for breaches OF
trust by public officials is urged, and
the promise made that all the power
of the administration shall be devoted
to the detection and punishment of
such wrOngdOers.
The President continues:
Once again ! call your attention to the
condition Of the pubHr-Ia laws. Recent
developments have given new urgency to the
need for such changes as will At these laws
to actual present conditions. The honest dis
posai and right use Of the remaining public
lands is of fundamental Importance The
iniQuiOus methods by which the mOnopoiiz
ing of the public lands is being brought
about under the present laws are becoming
more generally known. but the existing laws
do not furnish effective remedies. The rec
concentrations OF the Public Lands commits
sion upon this subject wise and should
be given effect.
The policy Of creating forest re-
serves is shown to have met popular
approval, as has the initiation of for.
est reserves.
Merchant Marine.
On the subject of the merchant ma
rine, the message says:
To the spread Of our trade in peace and
the defense OF our flag In war great and
prosperous merchant marine is Indispensable
We should have ships Of our own and sea-
men Of our own to convey our goods to neu-
trail markets. and in case OF need 10 rein
force our battle line. II cannot but be a
source of regret and uneasiness to us that
the lines OF communication with our sister
republics OF South America should be chief
ly under foreign control. 1t is not good
thing that American merchants and manu-
facturers should have to send their goods
and letters to South America via Europe II
they wish security and dispatch. Even on
the Pacific. where our ships ave held their
own better than on the Atlantic, our mer-
chant flag is now threatened through the lib
eral aid bestowed by other governments on
their own steam lines. ask your earnest
consideration of the report with which the
Merchant Marine commission has followed
its long and careful inquiry.
Praise of the good work Of the pen
sion bureau with an acknowledge
ment Of the debt the country owes
to the veterans of the Civil war fol-
lows,
immigration.
Continuing. the message shows
clearly the necessity for checking the
steamship companies in their activity
in promoting the importation Of unde-
sirable immigrants, while pointing
out how warmly welcome is the man
who bids fair to add value to the
community. An increase in the strin.
gency OF the immigration law is advo-
Gated.
On the subject Of Chinese immigra-
ton the message urges the necessity
for courteous treatment OF the Chi
nese students. business and prOfes
sional men who visit this country,
while asserting unalterable opposition
to the admission of coolies or skilled
or unskilled labor from China.
Civil Service.
Some paragraphs of the message
are devoted to an calculation Of the
workings Of the civil service law. The
assertion is made that the effects Of
the law have been excellent.
A revision Of the copyright laws Is
declared to be urgently needed, and
the promise made that bill for this
purpose will be introduced at the
coming session. The passage Of the
measure is earnestly recommended.
A law to regulate interstate com.
merce in misbranded and adulterated
foods. drinks and drugs is urged: also
one providing for the building and
maintenance Of national parks and
the preservation Of Niagara Falls.
Pensions for members OF the Life
Saving Service are shown to be de-
sirable, and a high compliment is paid
the members of the service for their
self-sacrificing devotion to duty.
A recommendation is made for in.
creased appropriations and payment
of more attention to the needs Of the
Indians.
The Philippines.
Despite the series of disasters
which have afflicted the Philippine