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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 17, 1915)
THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA. I WHO 15 WO CAMPBELL AS HACK DRIVER iuu uuimriiuuiit oi uiuui uuu ui ' TH TTffl ffi 1 1MTT iTMTMT W R on for almost a decado with- mmW' i WMm0mF .tZMBBk out attracting any particular at- mr li M Mill I M ilM ill1 li an N tlio huroau ot naturalization ot tlto dopartmcnt of labor ono of tho greatest, moat oxtcnslvo and YsVUl KSWATa Potential Pieces of constructive K?8sJct admlnlstrativo work has boon go ing on for almost a decado with out attracting any particular at tention pn tho part of tho general public. Tins work lias its founda tion In tho very vitals of tho natlonnl fabric and consists In tho work of making citizens out of tho !raw material of tho rosldont forolgnor who lias lioon coming to this country from all of tho nations of Eurorio over slnco Its dlscovory, nnd In vast and increasing numbers during tho past three genera tions. Tho making of n citizen, In so far as tho require ments of tho law are concerned, Is no difficult mat tor, but to innko a' citizen In spirit, sympathy, and loyalty, ono Imbued with all ot tho essentials of lovo of country, Is a vastly dlfferont mattor. For ovor n century tho nation quietly, and porslstently iBlopt upon tills most Important duty and per mitted anyone, oven tho most unscrupulous, to vlo lato tho naturalization lnws and to ndd hundreds bf thousands annually to tho enjoyment of tho priv ileges of the franchise, tho holding of ofllco, and all of tho othor rights, hold In nnclont Ronio to bo sncred to tho natural-born citizen. Congress, howovcr,' was aroused by tho report of tho commissioners of naturalization, nppolntcd ly tho president, and on Juno 29, 190G, passed tho eurront naturalization law. Dy this law, all of tho courts, both state and federal, and tho officials of ;thoso courts, in tholr ministerial relationship, woro jplncod under tho supervision of tho United States Kovomment. This admlnlstrativo authority rests with tho bureau of naturalization of tho depart ment of labor. With tho crcntlon ot this fodofal control, nil of the lawlessness conBod, except In Bporadlo caBos which ariso because of tho lgnoranco of noino particular candldato for cltlzonshlp, his in liorn fear of tho government nnd tho law, which mako him tho proy ot tho unprincipled, willing to win n fow dollars by quick rathor than honest methods. Almost two and ono-lmlf million forolgnors havo lasked for citizenship during tho first eight and throo-fourths years of fodoral supervision ot tho naturalization law. Almost ono and throo-quartors jrnllllon of these hnvo doclarcd tholr intention, or Itakon out tholr first papors. Something ovor (throo-quartors of a million havo asked for final papers, and, of theso, about 650,000 .havo boon ad mitted to cltlzonshlp during that tlmo. j During tho Bamo tlmo, thoro havo boon upwards of 80,000 foreigners who havo boon rofusod ad mission to cltlzonshlp. Ovor ono-half ot theso liavo been donlod bocaiiBo of mental nnd moral unfitness. The bureau has kopt a closo supervi sion over this phnso of Us work and as early as 1907, through Its actlvltlos, tho public mind was dlroctod to tho necessity for providing some moans to onnblo theso iinfortunnto candidates ifrom tho vast forolgn popitfnco not only to ac complish tho act ot admission to citizenship, but to equip them hotter to carry on tho dnlly fight for tholr livelihood. For It Is among thoso that tho. fight for tholr oxlstonco is carried on undor tho most ndvorao circumstances. While tho nbovo figures ludlcnto a largo num Iior among tho forolgn olomont of this country coming forward for cltlzonshlp, tho number does not appear rolattvoly very largo when it Ib known thai In 1010 thoro woro nearly 14,000,000 foreign ers In this country, that of this number 9,000,000 woro not citizens, and that tho forolgn body has Loon increased nearly 1,000,000 annually Blnco thon. By far tho larger portion ot tho forolgn rosldonts of this country havo retained tholr nl Seglnnco to tho Bovorolgnty of their birth. Ro cont reports In tho public press hnvo shown many of thoso aro ready to respond to tho ho liest of thoso Bovorolgntlos, It is well known that ,largo numbers returned Immediately upon tlto call of tho country of tholr nativity, leaving tho (ti08. porsonal, family, Industrial, nnd others which have grown up In this country, for tho (stronger call ot allcglanco to tho forolgn sov ereignty. This wbb tho caBO prior to tho groat Cvar of Europe, in tho lessor wars among tho Dal can states. Many hnvo gono back to tho old (countries who hnvo doclarod tholr Intention. Sorao of these nftorwards roturned to this country nnd presented themsolvos boforo tho courts ot citizen ship tor admUsion. Judges of tho naturalization (courts havo hold that such absonco from this country In the armies and fighting undor tholr Sintlvo alfcglanco broko tho continuity ot real donco for naturalization purposos, nnd donlod their applications, Among tho approximately 14,000,000 forolgn " allon residents, 1.CC0.301 are classod ns Ulltorato. Thoso Illiterates aro tho natural proy of tho do nlgnlng and ochomlng forolgnors and natives, as well, at every' turn. Thoy compel thorn to pay tribute both In cash and blood, for ovory sorvlco both real and Imagined,' and In tho gratification of tholr desires, howovor unscrupulous or un natural. For years this conditions has boon studied by the bureau of naturalization in Its application to tlon is many times greater than tho number who como forward for cltlzonshlp. In many states tho proportion of candidates for citizen ship to tho entire for-olgn-born white popula tion 18 at tho lowest pos slblo ebb. In no state docs it exceed 50 per while In Borao Rcprosontativo Phillip Pitt Camp boll of Kansas has grand mnnnors that surpass thoso of a lord, or an nrchduko, or n head waiter. Cnmpboll's family had occupied a cottago In tho country near Washing ton during tho summer, and ono night, desiring to m.ovo back Into tho city, thoy hired a hack. On tho way Campbell noticed that tho man on tho box out in front was driving rather rccklossly. Ho Investi gated and found thut tho driver was frankly drunk. It was dangerous to allow him to drlvo along tho road, and oven moro so to trust him In tho thick traffic of tho city. So there was only ono thing to do. Campboll had to chango places with tho driver. So ho sought to chango clothes with tho driver. But the driver's brass buttoned coat would not fit him. How ovor, tho high hat of truo coachman design did fit him, and Campbell put It on. Ho ushered tho driver Into the carriage, and thon ho, tho congress man, mounted tho seat out In front. "And," says Campbell ruefully, ns ho relates tho episode, "In a way tho most disheartening feature of tho whole thing was the fact that I was not recognized. Ah, to think that merely by changing my hat I could so easily be accepted as a hack driver!" 1 "GRANDMOTHER" OF REVOLT 3 Mmo. Catherlno Breshkovskaya, soventy-ono years old, known as tho "grandmother of tho Russian revolu- com, wi n8 2 tIon hng becn oxiled t0 Buiun6i laBt Btatcs it is as truo outpost on tho Icy frontier ot tho i"- . . . of tho numuor ui iu.- clgners who tano ou tholr first papors anil n,nao who become citl ,nn In somo Biuiuo thoro are moro foreign ers living outsiuo tu largo cities than in mem North pole region. Only two political exiles have been sent to Bulune, it is said, In tho last 20 years. For seven months of tho year tho hamlet Is cut off from communication, even by post. from tho outside world by arctic snows. Then years ago Mme. Breahkov- nnd yet tlio mn, ... dresses, Including ono at Cooner ber Ot canuiua- - miMtan fnnHlHnB Rlin 1I1I1I1U 1 ' IWUU tho administration ot tho naturalization law. It 1b safo to stato that although 85,000 foreigners havo boon refused citizenship bocauso of mental and moral unfitness, at least that many havo boon admitted to citizenship, In splto of theso defi ciencies, during tho porlod ot federal supervision. Tho courts havo boen reluctant to refuse cltlzon shlp to a candldato, ovon though ho bo Ignorant of our Institutions or of tho prlvllogos conferred upon him. Especially Is this so whore thoro aro no facilities offered by tho cltleB and towns whoro tho petitioners llvo for overcoming theso defects. In many places tho public schools havo, under tho Inspiration of tho bureau of naturalization, oponod tholr doors to tho forolgnor hnd havo taught him tho duttos of American citizenship and, In thoso places, tho courts havo readily re sponded to tho now order of things nnd refused citizenship unloss tho candldato could como up to tho higher standard which has boon brought about by tho fedoral auporvlslon. This system tho buroau has tried out for years and with suc cess in various localities throughout the country. Thoro is scarcely a stato In tho wholo country that doos not now hnvo cltlzonshlp classes car ried on olthor by tho public schools or under tho dlroctlon of prlvato agencies. In many localities whoro thoro nro hundreds, and indeed thousands, of citizens admitted an nually, no cognlzanco hnd boon given this Im portant procoedtng by tho genoral public, muni cipal officialdom, public school or other authori ties until brought to tholr attontlon by tho repre sentatives of tho buroau of naturalization. ThlB was so ovldout that tho buroau, through Its offl cors, brought to tho attontlon of tho mayor of tho city of Philadelphia, Inst winter, tho fact that about 4,000 potltlons for naturalization would bo heard during tho spring months and, ns a rosult of this, approximately 8,500 n(w citlzons would bo mndo at that tlmo In tho 'persons of tho candf dates and tholr wjvos and children, born abroad. This roBUltod In tho first reception oxtonded by any municipality In tho United Stntos to Us citl zons ot forolgn birth. This rocoptlon wns but ono of tho actlvltlos of tho bureau of naturalization to bring to tho atten tion of tho entire nation this most vital activity of citizenship. In tho press of the day preceding tho rocoptlon, thoro wns published throughout tho United States announcement of tho nation wldo movomont for tho education of tho resldont nllon body through tho cnndldntos for citizenship. Ilorotoforo tho nctlvltlea of tho Bchools hnvo boon dlrectod almost wholly to tho candldato for final papora, while tho forolgnor possessing his first papors, or who has Just declared his Inton tlon to bocomo n citizen at somo futuro tlmo, has boon largely nogloctod. Tho buronu has rocog nlzod, howovor, that thero has boon a constant and steady, though sllont, nppoal coming annually from tho hoarts of hundreds of thousands ot for olgnors holding first papors, for relief, help, and nsslBtnnco to tho nttalnmont of tholr hopes and doslros In this country. Tho law pormllB an nllon to declare his Inten tion who Is an Ulltorato. In from two years to flvo ho Is eligible to potitlon for naturalization, During that porlod, whllo tho United Stntos holds tho candldato to bo on probation, It has dono nothing horotoforo to help hfs claim except in a vory moagor way. Tho bureau of naturalization haB boon tho only governmental agoncy which has oxtonded to him tho helping hand. It haa now nrrangod and porfoctod plnns for tho holp-lng-hnnd to bo oxtonded to tlio nearly half a mil "Hon forolgnors who each yew ask for. citizenship. During tho last year ovuV 335,000 foreigners doclarod tholr Intention nnd petitioned for natural ization. This Is tho high-water mark Blnco fod oral supervision. Tho fcdonvl census rocords for tho United Statos show that tho forolgu popula- ii7,nrthlri aro thoso living in collected $10,000 for tho revolution- . Itles In many parts ary cause, and It was said that that ;Vi,0 country thoro havo " J""" iik wb iur w arresi v v -- ..1,t.v,in in "I1U imprisonment in mo iorircss or uuvii "luiu 'uuinuuicn .... n, nnftrn ol" 1 " Ol. 1 UU1, given localities than Is represcnieu uj number of registered Voters. In many , . .... nf vntlnc aKO. A ropresoni a majority oi munu - goodly percentage of the candidates for first pa nnrn nnmn frnm flin pnrlv arriving 1UUUB' Many who aro admitted to citizenship are unable to Inscribe tholr names In tho English language but do so In foreign characters unlnteliigmio 10 tho American born. Many who aro aumiuea 10 cltlzonshin havo onlv tho most meager anility to speak our tongue and have but sllglit anility to comprehend it Somo of tho school authorities havo agreed to furnish descrlntlvo mattor printed In vnrious tonguoB for further facilitating tho foreigner In tho selection of a school. Whoro tho conditions juBtlfy it, school authorities havo signified their willingness not only to open tho night schools for forolgnors, but special day schools for tho for olgnors whoso vocations require thom to work during tho night. Tho bureau expects to prevail upon many ot tho school authorities to open Bchools for tho education ot tho foreigners whoro none havo been established As illustrative of tho enthusiasm with which tho co-operation of the school authorities Is being offorod, ono superintendent ot schools in ono of tho great metropolitan centers has stated: "You will find the board of education and school officials ready to do everything within their power to mako this splendid movomont, au thorlzcd by your bureau, a success In this com munity, and wo assuro you In advance that wo will bo vory glad to co oporato with your flold officers to tho limit of our ability. Wo aro en thuslnstic ovor tho plan which you proposo and hope that tho work that will bo dono In this city tho coming yonr will bo such as to meet with your hearty approval." Others, expresslvo of a liko Interest, havo boon rocolvcd. All havo agreed to give tholr heartiest endeavors towards tho realization of tho desires of the buroau of naturalization and to get tho chambers of commorco and othor civic organiza tions nnd tho press bohlnd tho movement locally bo as to nrouso public sentiment and start tho wheels Into operation to socuro tho appropriation of tho necessary funds for opening tho public schools or extending tholr activities where they havo boon open to foreigners. Others havo volun teered to glvo to tho bureau of naturalization the Information It doslres so as to onabla It to show annually tho number of foreigners responding to tho nppeals of tho bureau nnd tho school authori ties to attend tho public schools: Tho numbor of Illiterates; tho numbor who havo entered tho pub lic schools boforo taking out their first papers; tho number who nro naturalized citizens boforo entering upon tho public schools; tho number of males; tho numbor of females; thoso having ability only to speak their native tonguo; those nblo to road In tholr native language; those ablo to write tholr nnttvo language; and such othor Information as will onablo tho buroau to plcturo graphically tho practical results In tho annual roports of tho bureau of naturalization and the dopartmont ot labor and othor channels of pub ncity, Thoro she remained for two and a half years before being tried with Nicholas Tschalkovsky, another revo lutionist. Meanwhile petitions were drawn up hero and In other American cities, signed by many well-known persons and forwarded to Czar Nicholas. Mmo. Breshkovskaya succeeded in escaping with tho aid of a revolutionist named Anfreef, who exchanged clothes with her, but was recaptuced four days later near tho border. Then Bho was convicted for trying to escape and sent to Siberia. ORIGINAL PETE RUSSELL William W. Russell, who has been appointed minister to tho Dominican Republic, was at ono time a cadet at tho United States Naval academy at Annapolis, whoro ho was known as "Pete." How his follow middles got Poto out of William is not known, but not only was ho Pete, but such was his fame that every boy named Rus sell who has reported at tho academy from that day to this Instantly has been dubbed Pete. Thero aro moro yarns in tho navy among tho fairly old timers about Peto Russoll than about any other man who over saw academy service Poto was pranky, a fact that was given duo attontlon by tho authorities. Peto also was popular and so ho remains. The talcs of his doings as a middy Bhow that diplomacy was not then his marked characteristic, but he Is now credit ed with being ono of tho best of Undo Sam's diplomatists, Mr. Russell Is a Maryland man and has becn In tho diplomatic Bervlco nearly twenty years. He wns at Caracas during the rule of Cipriano Castro. DRUMMER BOY OF CHJCKAMAUGA "Johnny Clom, tho drummer boy Df Chlckamaugn," was retired recent ly with tho rank of brigadier general. Ho was tho last Civil war veteran to be removed from the active list, on which ho had tho rank of colonol. He went to tho front at tho ago of ten years. After he had boon In the thick of the battlo at Chickamauga ho was dis covered by a Confedorato colonel. Tho boy cut a strange flguro amid tho bloody scenos of that day. Ho was scarcely twelvo years old. Ho had his drum, and also tho sawod-off musket that tho soldiers had given him. Ho presented such a ludicrous appearance that tho Ccnfederato laughed. Tho boy did not see tho Joke. Ho whipped up his musket, fired three Individuals lntorostod In social work, patriotic BhotB at tho colnel, and, undor cover nnd othor public activities havo also most on. ot darkness, mado his way back to his couraglngly expressed tholr willingness to co on- rcBlmont, AM. ... . . .... . 1 v-iuiu luwarus mo auvancemont or tlio work of tho nureau in ovory possible wny. TRIBUTE TO A SPORTSMAN. "Aro thoro any fish In this stream ?" itmi. . iimro van yesioraay," replied tho country ooy. nut mnco you vo oeon wnlkln' up an down with that fnnry flshln' outfit 1 should be surprised it tnoy nau an jumpou rur tho river an' hid." From that day his famo spread, and ho has been known ovor slnco as tho Drummer Boy of Chickamauga. Ho was mado a sorgeant just after the battlo of Chickamauga and was tho youngest noncommissioned officer who ovor served in the United States army. His service won the attontlon of Gonoral Grant, who, when ho became president, gave him a commission without making him take tho course at West Point. In 1874 he was mado first lloutonant, in 1882 ho bocamo a captain, a major iu 1895, a lloutenant colonel in 1901, and a colonol in 1903. Thero 1b talk of Introducing In congress a bill to make him a major general.