Speech #560051939

I believe. Mr. President. that when the sober judgment of Congrcss shall have been taken upon this subject it will be in favor of the American miner. native born or naturalized. or who has declared his intention to become a citizen. In the State I have the honor to represent there are hundreds of miners of foreign birth. born in all parts of Europe. I said hundreds. yea. thousands. Perhaps onethird of the population of the State were born abroad. Not a single solitary individual in the entire citizenship of that State. which was first to send an organized regiment into the field in the Spanish war. would tonight for one moment contend that persons of foreign birth. taking not sufficient interest in our institutions to declare intention to become citizens. should go into the mountains of Montana and enjoy the same rights and privileges accorded to the people who are a part of its citizenship. a part of its electorate. whether native born or naturalized. All there is to this amendment here presented is embodied in the mere statement that it gives to parties contesting over the right to hold parts of the public domain the right to question the other mans citizenship. If the Senator from Minnesota will prepare an amendment that will embody the.thought he so feelingly expressed that these Finns.