Speech #610081799

Let him account for it properly. but to say that he shall disburse $25.000 for additional clerical service. and then to put :a condition that makes it impossible for him to ascertain whether he can spend a single dollar of it until it is too late to expend any of it. illustrates the unhappy condition Into which the experienced men on the other side of the House have recently fallen. It seems to me that a condition of complete demoralization must exist when men who have been so skillful in separating the public funds from the Public Treasury in the .past have been .unable. with three opportunities. to frame .a simple bill that would enable these additional clerks to be employed and the money for their services to be expended. It Is a crime to compel -the men in these great cities who are :seeking opportunities to become naturalized to come day after .day with their Witnesses and be compelled to wait. without ever a possibility of ascertaining when they can have an opportunity to present their petitions for naturalization. These men. as a rule. have come to this country to take advantage .of our free institutions. and are anxious to become naturalized .and .a part of the citizenry of the country. Unlike some men of .means and affluence who come here for a time and engage in .business. enjoy the protection of our laws. and. after they have increased their great accumulations. go back to some other country. all the while retaining the protection of their native .and. these applicants for naturalization -come here wishing to settle permanently With us and identify themselves as part of the people of the country. But because of the incapacity of .that side of the House. these men .and their witnesses are comgpelled to lose many days compensation. and they have every obstacle thrown in their path in their attempt to become natu:rallzed. Of course. if the people of the country were awake to .the situation. they would long since have turned out such an incapable lot of legislators. During the past four or five years they have :been attempting to make possible the naturalization. under proper conditions. .of the alien. and the more frequently they have attempted to perfect the legislation the more pitiable .has been their failure. until now everybody seems -to be apologizing If it be suggested that he had anything to do -with the proposed scheme to remedy the situation. I am grateful that nobody has been able to charge me with responsibility for this misfit legislation. Why not pass a simple provision repealing the restriction upon -the power of the -Secretary of Commerce and .Labor?