Presidents -- United States -- Messages; United States -- Politics and government -- Sources
The methods by which these frauds--now under full investigation with a
view to meting out punishment and providing adequate remedies--are
perpetrated, include many variations of procedure by which false
certificates of citizenship are forged in their entirety; or genuine
certificates fraudulently or collusively obtained in blank are filled
in by the criminal conspirators; or certificates are obtained on
fraudulent statements as to the time of arrival and residence in this
country; or imposition and substitution of another party for the real
petitioner occur in court; or certificates are made the subject of
barter and sale and transferred from the rightful holder to those not
entitled to them; or certificates are forged by erasure of the original
names and the insertion of the names of other persons not entitled to
the same.
It is not necessary for me to refer here at large to the causes leading
to this state of affairs. The desire for naturalization is heartily to
be commended where it springs from a sincere and permanent intention to
become citizens, and a real appreciation of the privilege. But it is a
source of untold evil and trouble where it is traceable to selfish and
dishonest motives, such as the effort by artificial and improper means,
in wholesale fashion to create voters who are ready-made tools of
corrupt politicians, or the desire to evade certain labor laws creating
discriminations against alien labor. All good citizens, whether
naturalized or native born, are equally interested in protecting our
citizenship against fraud in any form, and, on the other hand, in
affording every facility for naturalization to those who in good faith
desire to share alike our privileges and our responsibilities.
The Federal grand jury lately in session in New York City dealt with
this subject and made a presentment which states the situation briefly
and forcibly and contains important suggestions for the consideration
of the Congress. This presentment is included as an appendix to the
report of the Attorney-General.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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