The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-10-17
must PASS EXAMINATIONS
Election to be Held This Year is The
Last that Aliens Not Having Second
Papers May Participate in-No First
Paper Voters in the Future.

Representative Of the naturalization
bureau of the United States govern
ment have been IN Kenosha during the
last few days securing lists of the
aliens who have made application for
citizenship and before these app1iea-
tions are acted upon at the next term
Of the circuit court every one Of the
applicants will be personally interview
ed and examined by the government
officials.
The old days, when it was easy to
get citizenship, have passed and the
care the government now exercises in
determining the<ftness to become citi.
zens is calculated to impress the can
didate with the value Of citizenship.
Formerly all that was necessary was
to go before the clerk of the court
and declare intention to become A
citizen in order to obtain the right TO
vote. This was usually done just be-
fore election and at the request and
Expense Of political parties. This sim
pie process gave the newly arrived
immigrant, ignorant Of our laws, Gus
toms and language, the same rights
as the native born citizen.
Many men never took oft final pa
.pers and much difficulty is being ex-
perdenced by their children, born in
foreign countries who came to the
United States in infancy, who suppos-
ed they were citizens, but now find
they are not, because their fathers
never took out second papers.
Now the applicant must go before
the clerk of the court, make his decla-
ration of intention and wait two
years. After that, he must again APP
pear before the clerk with two wit.
nesses, who are themselves citizens,
and make application for final pa
.pers.
The witnesses must testify under
oath, to the good character of the APP.
plicant and that they have known him
for the last five years. The name OF
the applicant, together with the names
of his witnesses, is posted in the
clerks office for at least ninety days.
Then the examiners come around and
make thorough examination con.
cerning the applicant, usually inter-
viewing him and his witnesses in or.
der to determine whether there is any
objection to the applicant and wheth-
er the proceedings are regular.
After all this the applicant and his
witnesses must come into open court
and be examined when, If the court
is satisfied that the applicant is suit
all the requirements of the United
States have been complied with he
is admitted to citizenship and takes
the oath Of allegiance TO this country
and renouncing all connection with
his fatherland.
At the preliminary examinations and
before the court it is sometimes dis
covered that the witnesses are not
themselves citizens, in which case the
application goes down, as not made in
accordance with the law, and the
petitioner has to begin again.
The coming November election is
the last at which men may vote on
first papers. After this year no one
may vote unless he is a full citizen
and has general knowledge Of our
form and style of government and Of
the English language. Many are TAX
ing out final papers who have been
in this country sometimes as long as
thirty or forty years, but have neglect.
ed to take out second papers because
they had the right to vote on first
papers. The present system is said
to instill a higher regard for the value
and privileges of citizenship. The ey.
animation going on will probably ex
tend through several days.