Saturday, July 16, 2011

NEWSPAPER TIDBIT: Irish Immigrant Denied Right To Vote (1922)

from The Republican (Danville, Indiana) – issue of Thursday, April 27, 1922 – page 1, column 2:

HE HAS VOTED OFTEN, BUT HE CAN NOT NOW
For over fifty years, Miles Hessian has been an industrious citizen of Middle township, amassing considerable property and rearing a family. For probably as long, he has been a voter. He was born in Ireland, but, having filed his intention of becoming a citizen, he was a voter although he never completed his naturalization. Monday, he appeared at the clerk’s office to take out his final papers and learned that under the new immigration laws he had to start the process of naturalization again. His first papers were of no value. Under the amendment to the constitution of Indiana, lately adopted, he can no longer vote in Indiana until he is a citizen of the United States. Consequently, after voting for half a century, Mr. Hessian will not vote again until he complies with the new laws, and this requires some time.

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