New-York tribune., 1907-11-03
NEW PROCESS OF
NATURALIZATION.
FR4UD IN FUTURE al
HOST IMPOSSIBLE.
EUery Alien Measured anG Carefully
Described on Landing end the
Record Filed.

AstbO'O Il tCNN'
icopyris.p: 1907. Dy John Elfreth yvatkiis)
That we at last have naturalization reform
fact. not q theory, will be impressed upon any
visitor to the newly appointed offices of Richard
X Campbell, chief OF the division OF naturaliza-
ton. il Washington.
Each alien now entering the country lawfully
must in the immigrant station pass before an
employe who measures his height, notes the
coct OF mis- eyes and hair, his complexion his per-
sonal pecUliarities, name, age, occupation place
Of birth last residence, intended residence, date
of arrival and the of the vessel which
brought him. On the basis of these data each
immigrant who afterward applies for citizen
ship will be identified. and all those who have
been s1nuggled into the country viii be discov-
cred if making so bold as to apply for naturali-
Earion passports.
All Of this information is entered in a regis
Ter at the Immigrant station. and each alien
nav obtain at once or at a later time an official
Si1ypIicate IN the form OF certificate Of land
tng" which viii be Indispensable when he en-
detzSors to become citizen of the United States
without producing this document he can never
become G. citizen, unless he go over the border.
be entered all over again and wait five years
after such second entry. Descriptions of his
wife and children are similarly taken when they
enss<.
grant goes into court and takes oath that it is
his bona fde intention to become citizen. This
celebration must set forth his name, age, occu-
nation personal description, place Of birth, last
foreign residence and allegiance, date OF arrival,
the name Of the vessel carrying him and his
present residence The document thus sworn
10 is under the new law exactly the same in
every court the information being filed in
blank form supplied By the new division of
naturalization.
Under the former law there were nearly
many forms as there were courts. The paper
Is watermarked, and ali court clerks supplied
with the forms must account even for those that
may be spoiled. The declaration of each appi-
cant is filed out in triplicate, one being filed
with the court, an exact copy being sent TO the
division of naturalization at Washington and
another exact copy being given TO the decIarant,
who win need it before he can finally obtain his
papers
MUST BE ABLE TO WRITE NAME.
The applicant next files with the court, in
duplicate. a petition for citizenship, and this
step must be taken not less than two more
than seven years after he files the declaration
mentioned above. This petition must be signed
in his own handwriting and besides giving the
information about himself that appeared in the
other documents must give the name. nativity
and place of birth and residence of each of his
children, if he have any. In it he must assure
the court of his intention 10 reside here perna-
nently. and although this assurance viii not
legally hamper his further movements it gives
a legal basis for the cancellation of the natural
cation certificates Of the many foreigners who
are annually obtaining American citizenship and
then hurrying back to their native lands to avoid
military duty and live under the better protec-
ton offered by our flag.
In the city Of Jerusalem alone there
Thousand eQiOVinR American
yet permanently Iransacting business on their
native soil But any naturalized American who
hereafter takes up permanent residence abroad
within i've years after naturalization viii have
his certificate cancelled.
Another marked innovation in the new law
makes II Illegal for an alien who arrives here
before the age Of eighteen to file his declaration
simultaneously with his petition upon reaching
twenty one Under this provision thousands of
fragrant frauds occurred, and the law pro-
vides that two years must elapse between the
declaration and petition in these cases; that in
all cases the petitioner must have lived in the
United States five years and be Of age.
Now comes the time for filing the certificate
OF landing, containing the data on the immi-
grant station register-heght color of hair and
eyes. peculiarities etc. This Identifies the petit
he did, and il is attached TO the petition. The
latter must be verified also by the affidavits of
Two credible witnesses who are citizens and who
swear that the applicant has resided as long as
claimed IN the country and state.
The old law required only one witness not
necessarily citizen. Under this clause all sorts
OF abuses occurred. There was no federal Off
cial present to question the witnesses fitness
&nd often there were professional witnesses en-
ployed to railroad petitions through the courts.
Under the new law a federal attorney always
has access TO the witness and may question him
as he sees fit.
The petition OF the citizen elect is next posted
and ninety days must elapse before the certfh-
cate OF citizenship is issued. Under the previous
law tho certificate was issued at once This
ninety days allows time for the petitioners caga
10 rs looked into by new functionary of the
EvFernment-the naturalization examiner"
NATURALIZATION EXAMINERS
There is a corps OF these federal officers
whose salaries vary from s., 200 to 81. 800 Some
cf those receiving the higher salaries are former
pension examiners who have been transferred
20 this new service. while the lower grades arc
filed through the CiVil Service Commission
which seeks men with experience as investi-
eating officers. There is one chief examiner at
tached TO the Office of each Assistant United
States district attorney, appointed especially
10 Investigate naturalization proceedings
The ninety days having elapsed and the ex-
afiners having found no irregularity, the formal
a nj and