Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-08
Assistant United States Att0r-
neys Taking 4 Hand in
Naturalization
WAS GREAT SURPRISE
Not Generally Known That Govern
ment Was Taking Such Measures for
Safeguarding the Citizenship Of tho
country-Petitioners Advised to File
In Their Resident Counties.
Special to Times-Republican.

Council Bluffs, Jan. s.-Greatly to
the surprise of the members of the To-
cal court, Milton M. bearing, of st.
Louis, assistant United States attor-
ney. dropped into the city today to
take a hand In the naturalization OF
some foreigners who had some time
since made application under the new
law for citizenship.
That the government was taking
such measures for safeguarding the
citizenship Of the country was not only
surprise, but at once a novelty I'M
heard of before. While the general
terms of the new law are understood
to be more strict and closer scrunity is
lands. 1t was never supposed that a
special agent Of the government would
come here to look into the work.
Altho the examination is rigid. the
government attorney is lenient in the
matter, taking into consideration where
the applicants obtained their educa-
tion-such as it is-and what is ex
pected OF them. One of the applicants
admitted said he had never read the
constitution Of the United States.
Attorney Dearing Tells Of Work.
"If we found that there were reasons
why the petitioner would not make a
good citizen" said Mr.. bearing. 1--WE
should object to his being admitted to
citizenship on the ground that he had
never read the constitution Of the I'm
tied States, but in this case all of the
circumstances are favorable" To
those who had not read the constitu-
ton Mr. bearing presented copies. In
the case of Matt Coughlin Of Wood
bine. native Of Canada objection was
filed on he ground that the applica-
ton should have been made in Harri-
son county. Coughlin and his attor-
ney contended that he could make ap-
plication in any county in the judicial
district To this Mr.. bearing said:
"Whatever the law may be, 1t is
matter of policy that the naturaliza-
ton should take place in the county
where the petitioner resides, and l
have asked the clerks of the courts to
advise petitioners to take that course"
Another applicant citizen of Coun-
Gil Bluffs, native Of Russia, was de-
MED papers on the ground that he had
made application before he had reacllad
his majority Thus it will be seen thAt
the government is exercising a close
over the matter. Mr..
bearing said that awhile it would be
for an attorney of the de-
partment, to visit all of the places
where naturalization papers are filed.
he said that the government had cop
les of all papers In every instance, and
that objection would be filed in each
case where there were grounds for so
doing.
List Of Questions.
Following are few of the more i'm
portant questions which Mr.. bearing
says applicants will be required to
answer correct and to the satisfaction
of the government:
Do you know what congress is?
country are made?
Do you know where the laws of Iowa
are made?
Have you read the constitution Of
the United States?
Do you believe in Polygamy?
Do you believe in anarchy?
Do you believe in free speech and a
free press?
Have you ever been arrested?