Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1906-12-27

IN the liberty. and ] may say license.
u the present Aas. The question
most pertinent Al this time 10: Is
our citizenship better or worse than
n vas then! Or Have we not gone
from one extreme 10 another"
In order 10 ges q more comprehen.
siTe view of the matter, q might BE-
well 10 take a glance III the forces
that are nj work In the training NJ
citizens. % which the government.
the church. the school. and the hona
are the most important The United
States by means Of her naturaliza.
iion laws 10 eoIning citizens :. the
rate Of thousands every year. IL II
not ii purpose 10 enter into a dis
eussion Ut this particular phase Of
the question. but suffice IL 10 say that
a residence Ut five years and the oh
seFtanee u a few technicalIties OF
law. like taking nut certain papers
which may be had for the asking:
and. presto. We have added another
citizen 10 our great commonwealth
a citizen qualified 20 vote and TO
hold any position Of honor and trust
I'm the United States. except presi.
dent: and this without any particular
regard for the kind Of citizen he will
make. While many Of our very best
citizens are such by naturalization.
and we do not only respect them but
extend them a cordial welcome to
our midst. yet there Is a growing sen.
timent that our present ~natnraliZa.
ton laws are o lenient. and as n
whole. that they are not consistent
with the best interests of the nation.
The Influence Of the church Is pos
tive, and Is universally conceded TO
be a power for good In all directions.
II IL could be- made a united body.
and use It's power AZ a unit as our POI
litical organizations do. grafters
would soon have to go out Of bust
moss. but better than this are the
two great precepts taught by the
Master Teacher,~love To God and
love 10 our fellow men. These repre-
sent not the physical or outward ma
nifestations Of goodness. SO to speak.
but the true self. Their source Is
from within. On these precepts Is
built the modern civilization. ami
they represent the very highest there
In In character and citizenship. In
order To get the best results In u
training. there must not be overlook
ed for they are Of vital Importance.
We Americans do not acknowledge
the teaching of Christianity TO be in
any way a part of the work OF tho
public school, and we leave II wholly
TO the church and 20 the home. tho
result being In many cases a super,
fetal training In ethics. and In many
cases none at all. The reason for this
condition seems TO be founded In de
nominational jealousies. for which
there Is really no foundation. Since
It Ia the general opinion that this IL
a matter that ought to be brought un'
der the control Of the school as 9th
or branches of study are. Undoubt'
eddy, the foundation OF Christianity
In broad enough and comprehensive
enough to allow It's great principles
to be arranged so that they Will
meet with the approval OF all Chris
tian denominations. resulting In n"
determinations In favor of any, but
In much good to all.
But u In the home that has to do
largely with the kind OF citizens ina
we are 10 have. Here are planted
tho seeds that are to bear the fruit
bv which we are to know them. The
period Of a child's life from birth to
the time he enters school Is a vital
one In the formation OF his character,
During this time he has learned a
language, has become familiar with
the things about him and has laid the
foundation, In n large measure, OF his
life and character. UP to this point.
the parent Is directly responsible Tor
his training. and the future citizen
will bear the imprint OF this early
training as long as he lives. Forum
ate indeed Is the child whose pa
rents instill into the forming charac'
ter the virtues that are so necessary
to a we'll rounded man or woman.-
especially. the virtues of obedience,