The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-12
The New Citizenship Law.

In the North American Repiew OF July
S Mr.. GAILLARD HUNT, chief of the Blu
reau Of Citizenship in the State Depart
ment, gives a valuable and interesting
review Of the new citizenship law. We
have had a law for the conversion Of
aliens into American citizens ever since
I7Ss. II was only last winter that any
effective step was taken for the reversal
OF that process. We have suffered much
petty and some serious annoyance from
the lack Of such a system. The credit
for the passage Of the new law belongs
chiefly to the Hon. ELIHU RooT.
q Tho new naturalization law draws the
line somewhat more closely around Amer
loan citizenship, but there has been weak
meas in the naturalization law itself and
lamentable laxity in its operation. The
result of this, as stated by Nj. HUNT, is
that we have had a constantly increas-
ing number of so-called American citi-
zens living abroad-men who have lived
in the United States for only five years
and in many cases have fraudulently Sc
cured naturalization papers after less
than Eve years residence; who never
were really domiciled here; who never
have performed any of the duties Of
American citizenship, and who never in
tend to do so; who play no part in the
development OF the United States and
are merely a burden to its Government"
In other words, we have carried for years
and are carrying to-day thousands Of
citizens OF fixed and permanent foreign
residence whose citizenship is that Of
the leech, the parasite, the hanger-on,
demanding and receiving but contribu-
ting nothing whatever in return.
The new law declares that the citizen
Of this country, IL he would retain his
citizenship, must be a citizen in good
faith. 1t is supplemented by a provis-
ion in the new naturalization law that
an applicant for citizenship must en-
terrain in good faith an intention of con-
tinuing to reside here, and that this fact
shall appear on his naturalization GER
tifcate." The new citizenship law, y
o y Mr.. HUNT, goes a step further than
the naturalization law by providing that
any naturalized American citizen who
goes abroad at any time to reside per-
mansntly shall be held to have expatri-
ated himself, and that the permanence Of
the residence shall be presumed after he
has resided for two years in the country
q which he was previously a citizen,
or for five years in some other foreign
country; but the presumption may be
overcome by proof that the residence is
only temporary and that IN intent to
psturn exists" This rule, however, ap-
piles only TO naturalized citizens. The
nitlzen BY right Of birth loses citizenship
bnly by some act of his own.
~ The new law is a long step in a proper
direction, but as it stands il is not ex-
actly ironclad. II is even open to ready
evasion by the declaration Of the foreign
resident Of his temporary absence and
his intention 10 return. This point is
not material under ordinary circum-
stances. but it becomes important when
such a citizen calls upon this Government
for some form Of relief, assistance, or
protection. II then becomes possible,
under the new law, to determine by in
vestigation whether the citizen residing
abroad can fairly establish his claim of
temporary residence and intent 70 re-