The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1906-01-18
TO CORRECT NATURALIZINGs.

TO CORRECT NATURALIzINGs
| Some of the most perplexing ques-
tions that vex the Governmental OFF,
cials Of this country grow OUT of the
| naturalization Of aliens. A large num-
| Der OF forclgn-born persons seek and
| obtain naturalization In this country,
without any genuine intent To remain
| In 1t; but only in order to change
| their status In the country of their
| birth. 80 that they may return there
and as American citizens be free from
| military and other obligations to which
as citizens OF that country they would
| be liable Some of the most compi
| Gated and dangerous entanglements
| this Government mas ever been trou-
oled with have grown out OF examples
OF this sort.
Then, there ia no uniformity in pro-
cedure. The records kept are unsats-
factory, and when called for are often
missing. One Judge will admit an ap-
plicant which another Judge will turn
away. And there is no connection be-
tween the court granting the applica-
ton for naturalization and the Depart
ment OF State at Washington, which In
all cases where the naturalized citizen
desires TO travel abroad or revisit his
native land, Is called upon TO Issue
passports. These at present have to
be Issued on the naturalization certih-
Gates alone, which may be forged, and
which in multItudes Of cases are
forged
In view of the crude and uncertain
methods pursued in naturallzations.
methods which have been unchanged
for century, change is demanded.
and last year President Roosevelt ap-
pointed commission OF three officers,
one from the Department of State. one
from The Department of Justice and
one from the Department of Commerce
and Labor, to investigate naturallza-
ton abuses and report suggestions for
new naturalization bill The COM
mission nominated. consisting Of Mr..
Milton p Purdy, assistant to the At
torney-General; Mr., Gaillard Hunt
chief OF the Bureau OF Passports In the
State Department, and Mr Richard X
Campbell OF the Department of Com
merce and Labor. who recently present
ed report which has been printed and
referred TO the Committee on Immigra-
tion and Naturalization of the House
OF Representatives. Some of the rec
concentrations it makes are Of general
interest and are well worth reproduc-
tion, as the New York Tribune sum-
marizes them. as follows,
The commission wisely insists on The
necessity OF standardizing our naturaliza-
tlon methods-that Is TO say, requiring a |
uniform court procedure a uniform text |
In the certificates issued uniform fees |
and a uniform system of record and reg |
lStration. At present there are hundred |
dlYergcnces In practice. and the avenues |
70 fraud are left Wide open. The com
mission would simplify matters by abol- |
shlnB the declaration of first intention
and making naturalization a single def
mite act. To guard against the Issue OF
the country every applicant should be
obliged to declare his intention TO live
In the United States. To
hat he has learned and can use the En-
shsh language, In order TO minimize
for political purposes. no
.crtlhcate Is TO be Issued within thirty
lays OF the date OF a Presidential or Con
srcssonal election, so that more than
our months must elapse between tho day
IN allen is naturalizcd and the day he Is
entitled to vote. fee OF S7-half the
mount to go into the Federal treasury
g to be charged, go as further to discour-
lge the creation of citizens merely for
'otlng purposes; In cities of more than
me hundred thousand inhabitants the
federal courts are TO have charge of ma
uralization, elsewhere application can he
nado In either the State OF tho Federal
ourts. Finally bureau OF naturaliza-
lon Is to be established in the Depart
nent of Commerce and Labor to receive
III records OF naturalization, thus fur
fishing check now missing, on fraudu-
ent applications for passports
There was a bill before Congress last
ear to revise the naturalization laws
'ut as II was the short session, moth
ng was done. 1t is no doubt as well
hat this was so. for the delay gives
pportunity for this excellent report.
Is an Illuminated way which Con-
ress well may follow, With the laws
or naturalization changed as recon-
1ended, with proper residence period
rioT to the time OF application, in ad-
ition to the three months to be re- .
ulred between the filing of an appli-
alton and the granting thereof a
nightly step in naturalization reform
i'll have been taken
-----