Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1915-09-17


ESo1%1S86EHMSS tention the part of the gener
- public. This work has its found
ton in the very vitals of the national fabric al
consists in the work of making citizens out of tt
raw material Of the resident foreigner who HI
been coming to this country from all of the natiol
of Europe since it's discovery, and in vast al
increasing numbers during the past three gener
tions.
The making of citizen, in so far the requir
ments of the law are concerned is no difficult ms
ter, but to make citizen in spirit, sympathy, al
loyalty, one imbued with all of the essentials
love of country is a vastly different matter. F.
over century the nation quietly and persistent
slept upon this most important duty and pc
m1tted anyone, even the most INSCRIPTIONS, to vi
late the naturalization laws and to add hundre,
of thousands annually to the enjoyment of the pri
ileges of the franchise. the holding of office, al
all of the other rights, held in ancient Rome
be sacred to the naturalborn citizen.
Congress, however, was aroused by the report
of the commissioners of naturalization appointed
by the president, and on June 20, 1906, passed he
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
ment of labor.
With the creation of this federal control, all
of the lawlessness ceased, except in sporadic
cases which 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 unprincipled willing
to win few dollars by quick rather than honest
methods.
Almost two and one-half million foreigners have
asked for citizenship during the first eight and
threefourths years of federal supervision of the
naturalization law. Almost one and three-quarters
million of these have declared their intention,
taken out their first papers. Something over
three-quarters of a million have asked for final
papers, and, of these, about $4,000 have been ad
mitted to citizenship during that time.
During the same time there have been upwards
of $4,000 foreigners who have been refused adj
mission to citizenship. Over onehalf of these
have been denied because of mental and moral
unfitness. The bureau has kept close supervi-
sion this phase of its work and early
1907, through its activities, the public mind
directed to the necessity for providing some
means to enable these unfortunate candidates
from the vast foreign populace not only to
complish the act of admission to citizenship, but
to equip them better to carry on the daily fight
for their livelihood. For it is among these that
the fight for their existence is carried under
the most adverse circumstances
While the above figures indicate large
Der among the foreign element of this country
coming forward for citizenship, the number does
not appear relatively very large when it is known
that in 1910 there were nearly 100000 foreign
ers in this country, that of this number 100000
we're not citizens, and that the foreign body has
been increased nearly 100000 annually since
then. BY far the larger portion of the foreign
residents of this country have retained their al
legiance to the sovereignty of their BIRTH Re-
cent reports in the public press have shown
many of these ready to respond to the be-
hest of these sovereignties. 1t is we'll known that
large numbers returned Immediately upon the
call of the country of their nativity, leaving the
ties. personal, family, industrial, and others
which have grown up in this country for the
stronger call of allegiance to the foreign SOW
ereignty. This the case prior to the great
war of Europe IN the lesser wars among the Bal
kan states. Many have gone back to the old
of these afterwards returned to this country and
presented themselves before the courts of citizen
ship for admission. Judges of the naturalization
courts have held that such absence from this
country in the armies and fighting under their
native allegiance broke the continuity of resi-
dence for naturalization purposes and denied
their applications
Among the approximately 100000 foreign
alien residents. 1.650361 classed illiterate
These illiterates the natural prey OF the de-
signing and scheming foreigners and natives. as
we'll. at every turn. They compel them to pay
tribute both in cash and blood. for every service
both real and imagined. and in the qualification
of their desires. however INSCRIPTIONS or un-
natural
For years this conditions has been studied by
Iae bureau Of naturalization in its application TO