The morning journal-courier., 1908-02-18

the number of applicants who are both well dressed and well educated.
 A short time ago an Italian gentle man of leisure, who said with the pur- est accent that he was native of Rome, explained that le was so anxi- ous to become an American citizen that upon leaving the ship he had gone straight to his financial agent and requested to be c nducted to the naturalization bureau. ln answer to the usual questions it was brought to | light that he was man If means and that his family was coming over as soon as he secured a suitable resid- ence. He said that ne had studied the people of the world and had come to the conclusion that this country was the most desirable nation of tham | all.
 | A Persian of the same class upon being interrogated IS to his future remarked: "I shall nav g baeK home | for my wife and children and sEow the Shah's minister the great .Ameri- can passport. Ie will trcElbls so as 1 shake the ashes of my cigarette and tell me he is my humble sertan. Humble servant. Bah.' will say, I come for my wife and childrsn to take them to my home in Yonkcrs in America to grow up gn1i Americans and good Christians. Then when we become smart and strong we shall help those Persians less f2r.inite be- cause they must stay In Persia
 An intelligent Ga'man abou- to be naturalized said that she only pass port worth having in travelling around the world is an American pass port, relating an lncident that occni- red during the late var between Rus sia and Japan. He said t/at he was travelling through Russia with a Ger man passport. In the same party were two Americans and an English man.
 The Americans were passed at once with q considerable show of courtesy, but he and the Englishman were de- layed from twensy. to twenty-fou' hours before their passports were ac- knowledged. The Jerk asked him WHY 1L was. Ht ItdS'n iiD SoNE lti it was that America is known U be the only country that will take the trouble to protect i,s citizens. while the European countries supposedly as matter of economy arc notnrlously careless in doing so.
 Not one of the least difficulties which the average candidats for citi- zenship has to contend with Is the English language. Many come be- fore the clerk with only few stock phrases that have been learned by rote and which can nelp them but lit. tie in comprehending the questions they must answer is get their papers Many ludierous mis akes occur as 3 result
 A shortNme ago ar Ia ian was told , that it would be rec :ssary for him tc go before a notary pubic and sweai before him that he had lost his irs , papers before duplicates could be granted.
 "A notary Repub'ica1! he eiacu- lated "A Republican, Me no like Re. publioans. I have fricnG, Democrat. , go tc him. Me no g9 ;o Republican, he repeated, and s.ar.al to leave tho room.
 , He finally understood that poliict i had nothing to do with so small f thing as a 50 cent fee.
 : An Irishman haivng secured hi . final papers being brough. before . Judge Iacombe to be sworn, the fina act of the process of citizen making , was asked the usual question. Ar , you a polygamist?'
 "Polygamist. Indade Ofm not" f The tone of the answer led the oour i, to suspect that the near citizen wa
 not fully alive to the significance c ' the word.
 Do you know what po:ygamls
 means?" asked the Judge.
 "Indade oi don't" Whereupon tin
 court enlightened him.
 Isn't one wolfe enough?
 haven't any and it's a-plenty." wa
 the new citizens comment.
 Similar incidents. almost number
 less. could be cited. These anecdote
 reeval in a measure the character (
 the future citizens of this countr!
 The naturalization bureau is a littl
 world by itself. Its daily events ar
 sometimes humorous and sometime
 pathetic. but always human.-Ne
 York Sun