And for this reason. primarily. that the State court is limited in its district. limited in the number of the population which it serves. and thie judge appointed to the bench is apt to be acquainted with the citizens of his district and also with the witnesses who come before him. He has a personal acquaintance with the most of them and is in a position to know personally whether or not the statements made by the applicant and the witnesses are correct or not. And from my point of view a court of that character is the most competent court to give naturalization. because it is acquainted with the men and the witnesses who come before it. I wish to back up the remarks made by the gentleman from Massachusetts that the superior court of Suffolk County Is so crowded with business that originates not only in that county. but in all counties around. that it is a safe assertion that no naturalization will ever take place in that court. and if we can have the jurisdiction conferred upon the. lower courts which have seals. under the limitation suggested by the gentleman. the judges of these courts will deal with a population with whom they are familiar and with witnesses with whom they are familiar. and the hardships otherwise imposed upon men in that county who seek naturalization will be done away with. Let me say to you. gentlemen. it is not a fair thing to an alien who honestly desires to become a citizen that he shall be compelled to pay a large sum of money for that purpose. that he shall be compelled to travel a great distance for that purpose. or that he shall.be compelled to wait an undue length of time. Let us make the requirements strict in many respects. but do not make provisions so burdensome and onerous that it will amount practically to the prohibition of an honest man who seeks honorable citizenship in this Republic.
Keywords matched
naturalization