658 Presidential Addresses 



Trautman. Their report deals with the whole sit- 

 uation at length, and concludes with certain recom- 

 mendations for administrative and legislative action. 

 It is now receiving the attention of the Secretary 

 of Commerce and Labor. 



The special investigation of the subject of natural- 

 ization under the direction of the Attorney-General, 

 and the consequent prosecutions, reveal a condition 

 of affairs calling for the immediate attention of the 

 Congress. Forgeries and perjuries of shameless 

 and flagrant character have been perpetrated, not 

 only in the dense centres of population, but through- 

 out the country; and it is established beyond doubt 

 that very many so-called citizens of the United 

 States have no title whatever to that right, and are 

 asserting and enjoying the benefits of the same 

 through the grossest frauds. It is never to be for- 

 gotten that citizenship is, to quote the words re- 

 cently used by the Supreme Court of the United 

 States, an "inestimable heritage," whether it pro- 

 ceeds from birth within the country or is obtained 

 by naturalization ; and we poison the sources of our 

 national character and strength at the fountain, if 

 the privilege is claimed and exercised without right, 

 and by means of fraud and corruption. The body 

 politic can not be sound and healthy if many of its 

 constituent members claim their standing through 

 the prostitution of the high right and calling of 

 citizenship. It should mean something to become 

 a citizen of the United States; and in the proc- 



