New-York tribune., 1908-12-30
CONGRESS rs BLAMED
Hardness IN Naturalization Bureau
Bill DispIeaSes President.
IFroTn the Tribune Bureau.

washington Dee. 2a-President Roosevelt is
thoroughly conversant with the depioraole conol-
tons prevailing IN the naturalization bureau Oh
the United States Circuit Court at New York de-
scribed in The Tribune this morning, and, IN ac-
cord with tbs reports made TO him by officials
whom he sent to the metropolis to make speclai
investigation of the matter, Is of the opinion that
Congress is to blame for the state Of things
For more than eighteen months the ieaoers OIL
both houses of Congress have been urged 10 GO
something to relieve the horrible pressure on the
clerks of the court, but yet have gone no flr-
ther than to report bill and get it into conference.
As this Is short session, however. ana the car
endar Is already pretty well filed the chances for
the measures passage are not regarded as very
roseate A disagreement Of the oonferrees or any
other delay would cause 1t to die with the seSsioh
on March 1. and all the hard work done pS the
committee and the officials of the Department VI
Commerce and Labor would go for naugh'- ms
pending bill authorizes the Secretary of Commerce
and Labor 10 provide additional clerk hire TOT
naturalization work In the federal courts ana eso
raises the ma turalizatfon fee from S5 TO Slo AHe
House members said TO be bitterly opposeo 10
the increase OF the fee. the ground that u Is III
unnecessary hardship on the alien. The Depart
rnent OF Commerce and Labor officials say 'hat
complete naturalization papers COVERING ING
period Of five more years necessary 10 lldhe q
citizen out Of g foreigner. is worth more IMAM 81"
TO prepare In addition to the first deciaraIiOi'
the pettiou and the certificate, which every new
made citizen receives from the clerk OF the cou"
there is & OF incidental papers ana coi10
snondence with the department in Washington
Under the present law the alien pays q ioi ,
declaration paper, q for his petition ano - hof me
certificate OF full fedged citizenship OhoeE 'e
pending bill he would pay 81 for the nrst paper Hu
e eech for the other two. The reason the conees-
ton occurs at the office OF the clerk OF the ieoeI
court IS found in the snallness of the present L
according 10 the officials Of the department
clerks OF the state courts which have equal Juris
diction with the United States courts IN tne q
ton OF new citizens will bother with the papeFs
because there is not enough compensation H1'o o"oH
them They therefore advise all applicants 10 ~
IN the United states Court" and the consequence
Is that when the applicants do go there they NHu
scores Of others ahead of them
when I visited the Circuit Court at Ne" or
~ make an investigation of the congestion OF amen
aDn;cauts l was astounded at what l saw sald
rIchard K Campbell. Of the officials orueEeo
bv the President TO make the journey ana report
~ talked with dozens of men waiting in the me
outside the clerks Office and out or all 'hose
Questioned every man but one had been there u1le
and time again to wait and go away without hiH
napers The clerks of the court are ooihS 'he oos'
thev can There is only 5000 allowed for clerK
hire and there are clerks working from cary
morning until late at night at that awful grind
They are able 10 dispose of fifteen tc twenty
cases a day but as there upward OF sixty TO
seventy-fve applicants. and that number Is on the
increase, you see how well tney are ooihs'
11a bureau OF naturalization is poweress to relieve
the situation without money. and the only way We
can get money is by the grace Of CongFsss-