Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1915-10-08


49,. public. This work has its founda
taon IN the very vitsls of the national fabric
consists In the work Of making citizens out of thu
raw material Of the resident foreigner who ha.
been coming to this couptry from all Of the nations
Scf Europe since its discovery, and in vast ant
increasing numbers during the past three genera
lions.
The making of citizen, in so far the require
sments Of the law are concerned, is no difficult mat
ter, hut to make citizen in spirit sympathy, and
loyalty one imbued with all of the essentials o
love Of country is q vastly different matter Fol
over century the nation quietly and persistently
slept upon this most important duty and per
mitted anyone, even the most unscrupulous to vic
late the naturalization laws and to add hundreds
OF thousands annually to the enjoyment of the priv
iieses Of the franchise the holding of Office ant
al OF the other rights, held in ancient Rome Il
be sacred to the natural-born citizen.
Congress. however, was aroused by the report
OF the commissioners of naturalization, appointed
By the president, and June 49, 1906, passed the
current naturalization law BY this law, all of the
courts. both state and federal and the officials Of
these courts in their ministerial relationship.
placed under the supervision of the United States
government. This administrative authority rests
with the bureau of naturalization of the depart
msnt Of labor
, with the creation of this federal control. all
Of thet tlawlesmess ceased, except In sporadic
cases wA3ch arise because of the ignorance of
some particular candidate for citizenship, his in
born fear of the government and the law which
make him the prey Of the unprinciped. willing
y to win few dollars by quick rather than honest
methods.
Almost two and onehalf million foreigners have
asked fo~ citizenship during the first eight and
three-fourt6s years of federal supervision of the
Naturalization law Almost one and threequarters
million Of these have declared their intention.
taken out their first papers. Something over
;lhreerQuarters of q million have asked for final
&nny md nj ah0ut hava hoon ad.
m1ttsd to citizenship during that time.
. During the same time. there have been upwards
OF 5000 foreigners who have been refused ad.
mission to citizenship. Over one-half Of these
have been denied because Of mental and moral
unhtness. The bureau has kept q close supervi-.
sion over this phase Of it's work and as early as
1907. through its activities the public mind was
@irscted to the necessity for providing some
means to enable these unfortunate candidates
1som the vast foreign populace not only to ac-
70 equip them better to carry on the daily fight
Tor thstr livelihood For It is among these that
The Aght for their existence is carried under
the most adverse circumstances.
while the above figures indicate q large num-
ber among the foreign element of this country
coming forward for citizenship the number does
Sot appear relatively very large when 1t is known
har b 1910 there were nearly $4,000 900 foreign
e6sh this country, that of this number 100000
vars upA Aeitisens. and that the foreign body has
hGon sstU0eased nearly 100000 annually since
= ) NBy far tho larger portion Of the foreign
fon60nts Of this country have retained their al
lance tanthe sovereignty Of their birth. Re-
een1agepoffs in the public press have shown
SanpS0f these are ready to respond to the be-
- a these sovereignties. It is well known that
il6r1n nun hers returned Immediately upon the
cat cf country of their nativity. leaving the
ta6c$, 1ksonaL family. industrial. and others
x6fm I|ave grown up in this country. for the
ykrd er call of allegiance to the foreign
'Srsfeuty. This the case prior to the great
'Worx Ex1ppe. in the lesser wars among the Bal
IN 1kateR Many have gone back to the old
o6nnt1es who have declared their intention. Some
q 0hese Afterwards returned to this country and
peoosnted themselves before the courts of citizen
ohip Tor admission. Judges of the naturalization
ourts have held that such absence from this
ohmtzy in the armies and fighting under their
H6f1voa allegfapee broke the continuity Of resi-
1900 for naturalization purposes. and denied
11nfr applications.
s. kmoQg the approximately 100000 foreign
- residents, 1850 .361 classed as iterate.
'T<SD6 iuiterates are the natural prey OF the de-
- and scheming foreigners and natives. a.
- every turn. They compel them to pay
~ - both In cash and blood. for every service
531al Ind imagined. and in the qualification
q - desires. However unscrupulous or un-
). cS{ifs shis conaitions has been studied BY
tICe standardization IN IT. application 70