(1) The conditions under and the manner in which an alien may be admitted
to become a citizen of the United States are prescribed by sections 2
and 165 to 174 of the revised Statutes of the United States. The alien
may, immediately upon landing in this country, declare upon oath before
a Circuit or District Court of the United States, or a District or a
Supreme Court of the Territories, or a Court of Record of any of the
states having common law jurisdiction and a seal and clerk, that it his
bona fide intention to become a citizen of the United States. He cannot
take out his final papers until after he has resided at least five years
continuously within the United States, and within the State or Territory
where such Court is at the time held, one year at least. He cannot take
out his final papers until the lapse of two years after declaring his
intention. Accordingly, if the alien should immediately declare his
intention upon landing, it would be necessary for him to wait until the
expiration of five years before taking out his final papers. However,
if he had resided three years in the United States before declaring his
intention, then he could secure his final papers at the end of two years.
(2) The right to vote comes from the state. Naturalization is a Federal
right. In nearly one half of the states of the Union an alien who
has declared his intention has the right to vote equally with fully
naturalized or native born citizens. In the other half, only citizens
vote.
(3) In your case, living in the State of Illinois, it would be necessary
for you to declare your intentions and take out your final papers
inasmuch as only citizens of the United States can vote in that state.
In Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri,
Nebraska, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin, an alien who
has declared intention is permitted to vote. In some of these states
additional qualifications are added. For example, in Indiana he must
have resided one year in the United States, not necessarily in Indiana.
In Michigan he must have declared his intention two years and six months
prior to November 8, 1904; otherwise he is barred from voting. In
Missouri, if he has declared intention not less than one year, or more
than five, before election. And so on. In Nebraska, if he has declared
his intention thirty days before election, provided he has resided within
the state six months. And so on, several of the other states having
similar qualifications. In the states not mentioned the requirements
are that voter must be a citizen by nativity or naturalization. In some
of the states there is a provision that the citizen shall have paid a
registration fee of $1, as in Delaware. That he shall have paid taxes
within two years, if twenty-two years old, or more, as in Pennsylvania.
If he can read and write, as in Massachusetts. If he can read or
understand the Constitution, as in Mississippi. If he has paid all his
taxes since 1877, as in Georgia. If he is an Indian, with several tribe
relations, as in South Dakota.
As was said before, naturalization is a Federal right. The laws relating
to it apply to the whole Union alike, and provide that no alien may be
naturalized until after five years’ residence. Even this doesn’t give him
the right to vote unless the state confers the privilege upon him. On the
other hand, the right to vote comes from the state, but the state could
not confer this right upon an alien who had not declared intention.
[Illustration: _HOME_
_BY Mrs. Louise H. Miller._]