The laboring man. the mechanic. the farmer. to whom the lengthy procedure of the trial provided for in the act means loss of much valuable time. would be most effectually barred from citizenship. The poor man. to whom the expense of this proceeding might mean the cost of sustaining his family for a week or over. would be forced to relinquish the ple isures of citizenship. and in course of time this gentleman might reach the goal of his ambition and could enjoy the rights of his citizenship (due in his case to the chance of birth) with but a select company of kindred spirits who believe in the motto "Dollars make men." Another one of the provisions of this act reads as follows: Upon such hearing the United States shall be represented by the district attorney or his assistant. and if in a State court toe State may be represented by the United States district attorney or States attorney. piosecuter. or solicitor. whose duty it shall be to defend the Government against such petition. In other words. it is made the duty of the attorney representing the United States to take the poor immigrant who is on the st rod defenseless and alone examine him. crossexamine him. ply him with questions pertinent and impertinent. harass him. torture him. in short. use every known trick of the law in order to prevent him from attaining his object and the United States from receiving into her arms a citizen who by a five years resid.cnce and by good behavior has shown that he is worthy of the honor. It provides further that the poor man who is an applicant for citizenship must not only lose his time by leaving his work in attending upon the filing of his petition and the trial. but must also pay the cost of the proceeding. including a $3 fee. which the gentleman from Alabtina has so benevolently provi led. shall be paid in order to secure the services of this dist.-ict attorney. whose business it is to defeat the petition of the poor immigrant.
Keywords matched
immigrant