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Ajit Singh
Python
Programming
4th Edition
Featured With......
ISBN-13 :979-8321458457
Pandas
GUI Programming
Modules & Library
Database Connectivity
101 Python Programs
Copyrighted Material
AKNOWLEDGEMENT
This piece of study of python is an outcome of the encouragement, guidance, help and assistance provided
to us by our colleagues, faculties, Tech-friends and my family members.
As an acknowledgement, I would like to take the opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude to all
those who played a crucial role in the successful completion of this book, especially to my senior scholars;
this book certainly has been benefited from discussions held with many IT professionals (Ex-students)
over the years it took to write it.
Python reflects on a number of growing trends in software development, putting it at or near the leading
edge of good programming languages. It is a very simple language surrounded by a vast library of add
on modules. It is an open source project, supported by many individuals. It is an object-oriented language,
binding data and processing into class definitions. It is a platform-independent, scripted language, with
complete access to operating systems APIs. It supports integration of complex solutions from pre-built
components. It is a dynamic language, which avoids many of the complexities and overheads of compiled
languages.
Three Faces of a Language. There are three facets to a programming language: how you write it, what it
means, and the additional practical considerations that make a program useful. While many books cover
the syntax and semantics of Python, in this book, the pragmatic considerations are also covered. My core
objective is to build enough language skills with a good object-oriented design so that the students can have
an efficient knowledge about python on windows platform.
Special thanks goes to our respected professor Prof. Dr. Bal Gangadhar Prasad, who is not only my role
model in learning and teaching but, also a source of encouragement who has always pushed me forward to
utilize my skills in a timely manner and have ever obliged for bearing with me from time to time, insisting
me on sticking to my determination all throughout.
I would also like to thank those who provided the odd suggestions via email to me. All feedbacks were
listened to, as you will no doubt see some content influenced by your suggestions.
I hope that the reader likes this book and finds it useful in learning the concepts of python.
Thank You!!
Ajit Singh!!
PREFACE
This book encapsulates rich practical hands-on experience in developing python based applications,
combined with teaching the subject for graduate/post-graduate students. The book is therefore a culmi
nation of putting together what has been both practiced as well as preached, which is the one of the most
compelling differentiators for this book. It can also be used for independent study by anyone interested in
getting a broad introduction to a core useful set of the python language.
This book isfeatured with advanced topics, such as Python Pandas, Database Connectivity, Python GUI
Programming and Python Libraries apartfrom the core concepts like Multithreading, Exception Handling
and Useful Modules. We explained these because they can solve some problems better than standard solutions.
My approach in this book is to regard python as a language that readers will want to use as a primary tool
in many different areas of their programming work - not just for creating programs with graphical content.
Nevertheless, I recognized that visual examples are much more fun to create and work with.
This book is a close-to-complete presentation of the Python language. Whether you are new to program
ming or a professional developer, this book’s goal is to bring you quickly up to speed on the fundamentals of
the core Python language. After reading this book, you will know enough about Python to apply it in what
ever application domains you choose to explore in your career.
In the four years since the first edition of this book was published in late 2019, there have been sub
stantial changes in Python itself. Although I have attempted to retain as much of the prior version of
this text as possible, this new edition reflects many recent changes in the Python language, as well as a
handful of structural changes.
There are no absolute prerequisites to speak of, really. Both true beginners and crusty programming
veterans have used this book successfully. If you are motivated to learn Python, this text will probably
work for you. In general, though, we have found that any exposure to programming or scripting before
this book can be helpful, even if not required for every reader.
Feedback
I have tried to wash out every error in our third edition of this book after being reviewed by lots of bachelor of
Computer Science, but as happens with any programming language - A few difficult to understand bugs shall
remain and of course, typos - and therefore, suggestions from students that may lead to improvement in next
edition in shortcomingfuture are highly appreciated.
Constructive suggestions and criticism always go a long way in enhancing any endeavour. I request all readers
to email me their valuable comments / views /feedback for the betterment of the book at ajit_singh24@ya-
hoo.com, mentioning the title and author name in the subject line. Please report any piracy spotted by you as
well. I would be glad to hear suggestionsfrom you.
Python Programming
4th Edition
Copyrighted Material
Copyright © 2024-25 by Ajit Singh, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any
form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise— without
prior written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review.
For information about this title or to order other books and/or electronic media, contact the
publisher:
PYTHON
? INSTITUTE
MnM r.to*
PCAP: Programming Essentials in Python
Statement of Achievement
Presented To:
Ajit Singh
Warne
During the Cisco Networking Academy® self-paced course.the student has studied the following Skills:
• the universal concepts of computer programing (i e variables, flow control, data structures, algorrthms, condtional execution loops, functions, etc,)
• developer teds and the runtime environment;
• lire syntax and semantics of the Python language;
• the fundamentals d cbicct oncnlod programing and the way they arc acoprtcd m Python .
• the means by which to rcsdvc typ<cal implementation problems
• the writing of Python programs using standard language infrastructure.
• fundamental programing techniques, best practices, customs and vocabulary, inducing the most common library function in Python 3;
17 Jan 2020
Date
By completing the course. tha student is no* randy Io atisrn.nl rhn quaincaron PCAP-Ceditmri Assoc nte in Python Programing certification, from ths OpnnEDG Python Inshtuls
. rotacad com |mm pythoninstttixe <x g
CONTENTS
Lists
List Literal Values
List Operations
List Comparison Operations
List Statements
List Built-in Functions
List Methods
Stack & queue using list
Copy list
150
Dictionary Comparison Operations
Dictionary Statements
Dictionary Built-in Functions
Dictionary Methods
Iterators
18 Python Pandas 166
Introduction to Pandas
Key features of Pandas
Anaconda Pythons Distribution
Downloading, installing and customizing Anaconda on Windows
Working with Numpy
Working with Series
Working with DataFrame
Working with Panel
Data transferring from CSV files to data frame and vice versa.
Data transferring from Excel files to data frame and vice versa.
Data transferring from SQLite to data frame and vice versa.
19 Python GUI Programming 201
Introduction to TKinter
GUI Components
Label, Button, Entry Box, Textbox, Frame, Dialog, Windows,Radio,
Checkbok
Event & Event Handling
20 Database Connectivity In Python 222
Database
Database Interface
Phythons Database API
Python Database Programming Using MySQL
Python Database Programming Using ORACLE
Handling errors in Database Programming
21 The Python Library 223
Overview of the Python Library
Most Useful Library Sections
22 101 Python Programs 243
Chapter 1
Getting Started with Python
Python is an open source, high-level programming language developed by Guido van Rossum in the late
1980s and presently administered by Python Software Foundation. It came from the ABC language that he
helped create early on in his career.
Python is an interpreted language. This means that every time a program is run, its interpreter runs through
the code and translates the codes into machine-readable byte code.
Python is an object-oriented language that allows users to manage and control data structures or objects to
create and run programs. Everything in Python is, infact,jirst class. All objects, data types, junctions, meth
ods, and classes take equal position in Python.
It is a high-level language. Reading and writing codes in Python is much like reading and writing simple
regular English statements. Python is a powerful language that you can use to create games, write GUIs,
and develop web applications.
History of Python
Python language was developed by Guido van Rossum in the late eighties and early nineties at
the National Research Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science in the Netherlands.
Python is implemented in C, and relies on the extensive, well understood, portable C libraries. It fits seam
lessly with Unix, Linux and POSIX environments. Since these standard C libraries are widely available for
the various MS-Windows variants, and other non-POSIX operating systems, Python runs similarly in all
environments.
Evolution of Python
The development of Python occurred at a time when many other dynamic (and open-source) program
ming languages such as Tel, Perl, and (much later) Ruby were also being actively developed and gaining
popularity.
Version 1 of Python : Python 1.0 was released in January 1994. The major release included a number of
new features and functional programming tools including lambda, filter, map and reduce.
Version 2 of Python: In October 2000, Python 2.0 was released with the new list comprehension feature
and a garbage collection system. The Python Software Foundation has already announced that there
would be no Python 2.8. However, the Foundation will provide support to version 2.7 of the programming
language till 2020.
Version 3 of Python : Python 3.0 was released in December 2008. It came with a several new features
and enhancements, along with a number of deprecated features. The deprecated features and backward
incompatibility make version 3 of Python completely different from earlier versions. So many Python
developers still use Python 2.6 or 2.7 to avail the features deprecated from last major release.
As Python 3 is backward incompatible, the programmers cannot access features like string exceptions, old-
style classes, and implicit relative imports. Also, the developers must be familiar with changes made to
syntax and APIs. They can use a tool called 2to3 to migrate their application from Python 2 to 3 smoothly.
The tool highlights incompatibility and areas of concern through comments and warnings. The comments
help programmers to make changes to the code, and upgrade their existing applications to the latest ver
sion of programming language.
The version 2 and version 3 of Python are completely different from each other. So each programmer must
understand the features of these distinct versions, and compare their functionality based on specific needs
of the project. Also, he needs to check the version of Python that each framework supports. However, each
developer must take advantage of the latest version of Python to avail new features and long-term support.
The difference between
"Python Implementation" vs. "Python distribution" vs. Python
Python itself is a programming language as per the behavior defined by the documentation available on
python.org. Anything that does what that documentation says it's supposed to do would "count" as being
Python....
An implementation of Python is an actual program that provides the behavior defined by the documenta
tion available on python.org. It has various implementations which allow you to run programs written in
it. To give you a better idea, msvc, clang, gcc are implementations of C. Here are some python implementa
tions:
• CPython: this is the default, and what you should be using if you have no idea.
• Jython: implementation in java, allows you to use the java api.
• IronPython: implementation for .net, allows you to use the .net api.
• PyPy: JIT implementation.
A distribution of Python is a bundle that contains an implementation of Python along with a bunch of
libraries or tools or packages. In theory, a distribution of Python could use any implementation, although
all the ones I know of use CPython. The download from python.org could also be considered a distribution
(a minimal distribution that doesn't contain any "extras").
In practice, most people using Python for practical purposes are using CPython (the de facto standard
implementation), so the real choice is among different distributions of that. Among those, you mainly
choose based on what extras you want to come with it. You can choose to use the "bare" distribution from
python.org and then install packages yourself, or if you plan on doing scientific/analytics computing, you
could choose one of the distributions geared towards that (e.g., Anaconda or Canopy).
Features/Advantages of Using Python Language
2. Object Oriented Language - Almost everything is an object in this language. It supports Data hiding,
Multiple inheritance, Interfaces and polymorphism.
3. Runs across different platforms - Python works on Windows, Linux/UNIX, Mac OS X, other operating
systems and small-form devices as well as it also runs on microcontrollers used in appliances, toys, remote
controls, embedded devices, and other similar devices.
4. Highly Structured Language - Statements, functions, classes, modules, and packages enable us to write
large, well structured applications so that to have the feature of readability, locate ability, modifiability.
5. Higher Productive Language - Pythons codes are considerably shorter, simpler, and less verbose than
other high-level programming languages such as Java and C++. In addition, it has well-designed built-in
features and standard library as well as access to third party modules and source libraries. These features
enable programming in Python more efficient.
6. Dynamic Language - It is dynamic language as types are bound to values, not to variables, function and
method lookup is done at runtime, values are inspectable and we can list the methods supported by any
given object.
7. Strongly Typed Language - at runtime rather than compile time. Objects (values) have a type, but vari
ables do not have in this language.
8. Embedding and Extending Language - Python provides a well documented and supported way
(1) to embed the Python interpreter in C/C++ applications and
(2) to extend Python with modules and objects implemented in C/C++.
Cython enables us to generate C code from Python and to "easily" create wrappers for C/C++ functions.
To embed and extend Python with Java, there is Jython.
9. Reasonably High level - It contains high level builtin data types as well as high level control structures.
10. Less Learning Time - Python is relatively easy to learn as compare to other languages. Python is a a
good to first language for learning programming because it uses simple syntax and shorter codes.
Python has varied advantageous features, and programmers prefer this language to other programming
languages because it is easy to learn and code too. But, this language has still not made its place in some
computing arenas that includes Enterprise Development houses. Therefore, this language may not solve
some of the enterprise solutions, and limitations include-
4. Run-time Errors
The Python language is dynamically typed so it has many design restrictions that are reported by some
Python developers. It is even seen that it requires more testing time, and the errors show up when the ap
plications are finally run.
Some Jargon
For folks new to developing software, it might help to understand a few distinctions made above.
Interpreted
Not Interpreted (i.e., Compiled)
Python is a byte-code interpreter. A Python code object is a sequence of bytes that represent various opera
tions and values. The Python interpreter steps through the bytes, performing the operations.
A compiled language (e.g., C, C++, etc.) is translated from source form to executable binary specific to oper
ating system and hardware platform.
Java is similar to Python: its compiled and the Java Virtual Machine is a byte-code interpreter.
Dynamic
Not Dynamic (i.e., Static)
Python is a dynamic language. Variables and functions do not have defined data types. Instead, a variable
is simply a label attached to an object. A function is a callable object with parameters, but no declared result
type. Each object has a strongly-defined permanent class.
There is no sophisticated compile-time type checking. Instead, any type mismatches will be detected at
run-time. Since many types are nearly interchangeable, there isnt a need for a lot of type checking. For ex
amples of interchangeable (polymorphic) types, see Simple Numeric Expressions and Output.
Languages like C, C++ and Java have statically-declared variables and functions.
Scripting
Non-Scripting
The scripting distinction is an operational feature of POSIX-compliant operating systems. Files which
begin with the #!/path/to/interpreter will be used as scripts by the OS. They can be executed from the com
mand-line because the interpreter is named in the first line of the file.
Languages like Java, C and C++ do not have this feature; these files must be compiled before they can be
executed.
Chapter 2
Installing Python
Installing Python in Windows
To install Python, you must first download the installation package of your preferred version from this
link:
https://www.python.org/downloads/
On this page, you will be asked to choose the recent versions for Python 3.11.x/3.12.x which was released
on 8th Feb 2023. Alternatively, if you are looking for a specific release, either Python 2 or 3, you can scroll
down the page to find download links for earlier versions.
python i
About Downloads Documentation Community
Run the downloaded file. This brings up the Python install wizard, which is really easy to use. Just accept
the default settings, wait until the install is finished, and you are done.
Finally, if the installation process is a success, the following window will appear:
£• Python 3.10.5 (64-bit) Setup
See what's new in this release, or find more info about using
Python on Windows.
python
for
windows Close
For Windows programmers, the windows command interpreter uses the last letters of the file name to
associate a file with an interpreter. You can have Windows run the python.exe program whenever you dou
ble-click a .py file. This is done with the Folder Options control panel. The File Types tab allows you to pair
a file type with a program that processes the file.
You can get your python path in the folder where you have installed python. Example - for us it D:\Soft-
wares\Python\
How to Test the Python in Microsoft Windows
The last part, it will display on how to test the result of the python installation in the previous part. It is
actually very simple as it exist in the following steps:
As usual, just execute the Command Prompt.
Following after, type the command below to test whether ‘python’ is available and it is exist in the environ
ment variable of ‘Path’:
C:\Users\Personal>python
Python 3.11.2 (tags/v3.11.2:f377153, Jun 6 2022,16:14:13) [MSC v.1929 64 bit (AMD64)] on Win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>>
Last but not least, just perform another test to make sure. The following test is executing a certain com
mand to check the version of the installed python as follows :
C:\Users\Personal>python -V
Python 3.11.2
C:\Users\Personal>
As it appear in the output of the above command execution, the version is matched. It is python with the
version of‘3.11.2’.
Python Editors
> Vim http://www.vim.org/
> Emacs See http://www.gnu.org/software/emacs/
> SciTE http://www.scintilla.org/SciTE.html.
> MS Windows only
(1) TextPad http://www.textpad.com;
(2) UltraEdit http://www.ultraedit.com/.
> Jed See http://www.jedsoft.org/jed/.
> jEdit Requires a bit of customization for Python See http://jedit.org.
> Geany http://www.geany.org/
Interactive Interpreters:
> python
> ipython
> Idle IDEs
This new version of Python mainly focuses on improving the performance of the language. A few nice features
around exception handling and error display should also improve the development experience.
1. Improved performance
On average, a 25% performance gain compared to Python 3.11 is announced. Some operations are even up to 60%
faster than the latest version. The start-up time is reduced by 10% on average.
The measurements were performed with performance using CPython compiled with GCC under Ubuntu.
The performance gain comes mainly from the specialization of some instructions when the calls to a code are repet
itive. The fact that the code repeats itself without necessarily changing allows the interpreter to analyze the running
code and replace the generic code with type-specific pieces.
Another improvement comes from reducing the number of calls to the system memory in favor of allocating more
space. If these performance gains are always good to take, they do not turn Python into an efficient programming
language.
An increase in memory consumption of around 20% is anticipated following the implementation of these changes on
CPython.
Further performance gains are already planned in versions 3.12 and later.
Special work has been done on error management. It is now possible to add annotations on exceptions.
try:
raise ExceptionGroup("Exception Group", (
TypeErrorf'Type error"),
KeyError("Key error"),
ValueError("Value error"),
except* (ValueError, TypeError) as exc:
exc.add_note("Add more information about the error")
raise exc
The error messages returned by Python are now more precise and include the position of the error on the faulty line
of code. This function is very similar to what other modern languages can offer.
+--------------------------
I Traceback (most recent call last):
I File "test.py", line 5, in test
I assertx < 0
|AAAAAAAAAAAA
4. Improved typing
As we know, Python is a dynamically typed language, which is not always appreciated by developers. The latest
Python updates have already started the integration of an optional type system. This release continues that trend by
adding more types like Self, Literalstring, Required, and NotRequired.
class Foo:
def _init_ (self, x: str):
self.x = x
The standard Python library is not left out and is experiencing some changes.
TOML
First of all, the tomllib module is added to the standard library to parse TOML. This addition follows support for the
pyproject.toml file, added in a previous version of Python.
This library remains limited in terms of functionalities and has only one purpose: file parsing.
import tomllib
with open("pyproject.toml", "rb") as f:
data = tomllib.load(f)
print(data["project"]["name"])
AsyncIO
The asyncio library is also entitled to an update with the addition of Task Group to replace the use of the .gather()
method on asynchronous operations.
import asyncio
async def task 1():
print("Foo")
await asyncio.sleep(5)
StrEnum
The StrEnum makes an appearance. It allows to automatically convert a character string into an Enum.
Path
The Path.glob() method of pathlib now allows you to specify whether you only want to retrieve folders.
6. Miscellaneous deprecation
Finally, this version brings a background cleanup and removes support for many legacy modules: aifc, chunk, msilib,
pipes, telnetlib, audioop, crypt, nis, sndhdr, uu, cgi, imghdr, nntplib, spwd, xdrlib, cgitb, mailcap, ossaudiodev,
sunau...
Some of these modules will not be removed from the standard library until Python 3.13. Others will simply be re
placed by alternative solutions, more modern and better maintained, already present in the standard library.
In conclusion, if this update does not bring anything revolutionary, it continues the Python projects already launched
with regard to the improvement of the performances of CPython, the improvement of the error management and the
addition of solutions for typing requested by part of the community.
Chapter 3
Interacting with Python
Python is a flexible and dynamic language that you can use in different ways. You can use it interactively
when you simply want to test a code or a statement on a line-by-line basis or when youre exploring its
features. You can use it in script mode when you want to interpret an entire file of statements or applica
tion program.
To use Python interactively, you can use either the Command Line window or the IDLE Development
Environment.
> > > prompt. It may not be the most preferred interaction with Python, but it is the simplest way to explore
how Python works.
Running Python
There are three different ways to start Python -
1. Interactive Interpreter
From Windows
Start-> All Programs -> Python 3.11 -> Python 3.11
2. Script from the Command-line
A Python script can be executed at command line by invoking the interpreter on your application, as in the
following -
C: >python script.py
We use commands to tell the computer what to do. When you want Python to do something for you, you
have to instruct it by entering commands that it is familiar with. Python will then translate these com
mands to instructions that your computer or device can understand and execute.
To see how Python works, you can use the print command to print the universal program Hello, World!
Open Pythons command line.
At the >>>prompt, type the following: print(Hello, World!)
Press enter to tell Python that youre done with your command. Very quickly, the command line window
will display Hello, World! on the following line:
Youll get syntax error messages whenever you enter invalid or incomplete statements. In this case, you
typed print with a capital letter which is a big no to a case-sensitive language like Python.
If youre just using Python interactively, you can do away with the print command entirely by just typing
your statement within quotes such as Hello, World!
Getting Help
Python has two closely-related help modes. One is the general help utility, the other is a help function that
provides the documentation on a specific object, module, function or class.
Exiting Python
To exit from Python, you can type any of these commands:
quit()
exit()
Control-Z then press enter
Recently added
The Python Shell window has the following menu items: File, Edit, Shell, Debug, Options, Windows, and
Help.
Python 3.9.0 Shell — □ X
File Edit Shell Debug Options Window Help
Pychon 3.9.0 (cags/v3.9.O:9cf6752, Oct 5 2020, 15:34:40) [MSC v.1927
64 bit (AMD64)] on Win32
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license()" for more informati
on .
»> I
Ln: 3 Col: 4
The Shell and Debug menus provide capabilities you would find useful when creating larger programs.
The Shell menu allows you to restart the shell or search the shells log to find the most recent reset.
The Debug Menu has useful menu items for tracing the source file of an exception and highlighting the
erring line. The Debugger option will usher in an interactive debugger window that will allow you to step
through the running program. The Stack Viewer option displays the current Python stack through a new
window.
The Options menu allows you to configure IDLE to suit your Python working preferences.
The windows menu bar varies only slightly with the Shell Window. It doesnt have the Shell and Debug
menu found in the Shell Window but it introduces two new menus: the Run and the Format menu. When
you choose to Run your code on the file window, you can see the output on the Shell Window.
Save Ctrl+S
Save As... Ctrl*Shift*S
Save Copy As... Alt*Shift*S
Close Alt*F4
Exit Ctrl+Q
Click on File and then select New File (alternatively, you may use the keyboard shortcut of Ctrl+N):
You would now see the following “untitled” box, where you can type your Python code:
Another Random Scribd Document
with Unrelated Content
some instances has been—in this one county! I consider it inequitable for the
reason that the man who travels from mining camp to mining camp may reside
four or more years in any number of states, and at any number of camps in each
state; but, if he then removes to another state and resides in that state one year,
he may obtain citizenship. Yet the rancher who resides five years in one state, or
even in one county, but during the five years resides in two different localities of
the state, or even on two different ranches in one county, may be (and under the
present law frequently is) deprived of citizenship for the reason that two
witnesses, only two, and each of these two, must prove the continuous five years’
residence.
I some time ago became convinced that this provision of the law was not
equitable, and in January, 1919, wrote to our Congressman in the hope of
convincing him and getting a bill introduced to remedy it. He thought it too late in
the session to attempt it, and that it would be useless to attempt it without the
approval of the Department of Labor, which approval was withheld.
DEPOSITIONS OF WITNESSES
The law requires that the Oath of Allegiance shall be taken in open
court as the final act of the petitioner before being formally admitted
to citizenship; thereupon the decree is entered and certificate
issued; but the Naturalization Service is forbidden by its regulations
to issue the certificate until the judge’s signature is upon the order.
Sometimes the clerk rattles off or mumbles the oath very indistinctly,
and the petitioners, often a large number of them, hardly
understand a word of the solemn ritual. It is becoming more
common for the judge to require everyone in court to stand while he
delivers the text of the oath loudly and clearly. In some courts where
there are many applicants, and all concerned are pressed for time,
the persons to be naturalized are kept in one part of the room until
the docket is cleared, whereupon the oath is administered to them in
groups of nationality; each nationality group standing with upraised
right hands while the clerk or judge reads the words, and names the
particular “prince, potentate, state, or sovereignty,” allegiance to
whom, or to which, is to be abjured. Sometimes this ceremony is a
very hurried, perfunctory, and undignified performance; sometimes a
very solemn and impressive one. During the high-pressure process
of naturalizing great numbers of soldiers in the army encampments
during the war, it was sometimes the custom to have all nationalities
stand at once, the clerk naming all the sovereignties concerned in
one series, with the presumption that each individual would mentally
isolate the one which he was supposed to have in mind. There were
occasions when this helter-skelter method was pursued for the
benefit of as many as 1,200 petitioners together.
CEREMONIES OF INITIATION
PROGRAM
Hon. Henry F. Nickerson, Presiding
Music Orchestra
Singing—“America” Audience
Selection Orchestra
Informal Reception
PROGRAM
Henry E. Crow, President of the Board of Education,
Presiding
John W. Beattie, Supervisor of Music,
Song Leader
Song—“America” Audience
Songs Audience
Songs Audience
At first glance it might seem fitting and wise to confine the function
(if to the courts at all) to the Federal tribunals, in the interest of
freedom from local political influence, uniformity of interpretation
and practice, and recognition of the fact that citizenship is chiefly a
relationship to the nation as a whole. Always, indeed, there has been
a considerable body of sentiment in favor of such a change in the
practice. Many of the state judges would favor it; some for reasons
of principle, but most because they would gladly get rid of a body of
duty which to many is irksome and a distasteful interference with
their ordinary matters of litigation by duties which they regard as
properly more administrative than judicial. No Federal judge will hear
of any such addition to their already great burden of work.
The reasons to the contrary are weighty and thus far have been
controlling. In the first place, after all is said, an individual, however
national his citizenship in the large sense, is politically a unit of the
state in which he resides. He does not vote for any strictly Federal
officer; the only civic relationships which he bears to the nation as
such are those of direct taxation and national military service—and
both of those are of comparatively recent establishment. He does
not vote for President of the United States, but for a group of
Presidential electors who will cast the vote of his state in the
Electoral College. When he votes for two Senators and one
Representative in Congress, he votes for them as representatives of
his own state and Congressional district. The states, as a rule, have
been very jealous of every effort to take the direct control of the
selection of their citizens out of the hands of officials amenable to
local sentiment.
There is another and even better reason, in the fact that the
United States courts are relatively few and far between, and the
expense of time and travel which would be imposed upon applicants,
living elsewhere than in large cities, for having to go (as they do
now twice and often more than twice) to the nearest Federal courts
would be prohibitive upon all aliens but the most prosperous or
those whom some one might have a motive, political or other, for
subsidizing in this way. In not a few sparsely settled regions, even as
it is now, a petitioner must travel, and take his two witnesses, a total
of many hundred miles before he can consummate the process of
naturalization and obtain the precious certificate without which he
cannot complete his title to his homestead.
The existing law, modified in its allusions to territories which since
have become states by the various kinds of legislation relative to
their statehood, thus describes the courts which are to have the
power to pass upon applications for citizenship:
United States Circuit and District Courts now existing, or which may hereafter be
established by Congress, in any State; United States District Courts for the
Territories of Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Hawaii, and Alaska; the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia, and the United States Courts for the Indian
Territory; also all courts of record in any State or Territory now existing, or which
may hereafter be created, having a seal, a clerk, and jurisdiction in actions at law
or equity, or law and equity, in which the amount in controversy is unlimited.
Maine 9 3
New Hampshire 6 1
Vermont 7 4
Massachusetts 29 3
Connecticut 18 4
Rhode Island 8 2
— —
Total 77 17
New York 74 19
New Jersey 3 0
— —
Total 77 19
Pennsylvania 46 11
Delaware 4 2
New Jersey 24 10
— —
Total 74 23
Pennsylvania 29 7
Kentucky 1 0
Maryland 4 0
New York 22 6
Ohio 81 22
West Virginia 27 9
— —
Total 164 44
District of Columbia 1 0
Alabama 7 2
Florida 12 3
Georgia 10 0
Kentucky 12 2
Louisiana 18 2
Maryland 14 2
Mississippi 13 1
North Carolina 10 1
Porto Rico 1 0
South Carolina 6 0
Tennessee 9 3
Texas 25 8
Virginia 9 1
City of Baltimore 9 1
— —
Total 157 29
Arkansas 35 9
Illinois 20 6
Iowa 62 27
Kansas 39 14
Nebraska 34 11
Missouri 43 11
Oklahoma 34 11
— —
Total 267 89
Illinois 87 20
Indiana 70 20
Michigan 51 18
Wisconsin 15 5
— —
Total 223 63
St. Paul District.--Comprising Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Northern Wisconsin, Northern Peninsula of Michigan (except
Mackinac County).
Minnesota 48 20
Michigan 4 3
North Dakota 13 6
South Dakota 13 5
Wisconsin 11 7
— —
Total 89 41
Colorado 17 7
New Mexico 9 5
Utah 9 3
Wyoming 8 2
Idaho 5 3
— —
Total 48 20
California 95 34
Arizona 16 8
Nevada 12 2
—– —
Total 123 44
Seattle District.—Comprising Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho
(except as assigned to Denver).
Washington 47 15
Oregon 27 11
Montana 26 7
Idaho 11 1
—– —
Total 111 34
Recapitulation
Percentage of Replies
The questions which were asked, and the general nature of the
replies to each, give a bird’s-eye view of the principal phases of the
problem, and a fair notion of the degree to which the judges may be
regarded as liberal or conservative and alive to the situation. The
questions and the figures given after each speak for themselves:
Do you regard the present requirements for naturalization as too strict, or not
strict enough?
Answers: About right now 185
Too strict 26
Not strict enough 97
Noncommittal 20
—–
328
What is your policy as to “continuous residence”—how long, if at all, do you
permit a petitioner to have been absent from this country during the five years
immediately preceding his petition?
The answers to this question may be roughly classified to show the general
attitude of the judge, as follows:
No absence whatever permitted 72
A fixed time limit (three to six months very
general) 32
“Entirely a question of intention” 210
Noncommittal 26
—–
340
How frequently do you require the petitioner’s witnesses actually to have seen
him during the five years’ period?
Very strict (“daily”; “constantly, as a neighbor”; “I
insist upon a real personal intimacy,” etc.) 53
Reasonable (“enough to satisfy me as to the
petitioner’s character and residence”; “a bona-
fide acquaintance,” etc.) 287
—–
340
Do you require applicants for naturalization to prove that they can read as well
as speak the English language? The law does not require ability to read.
Yes 179
No 155
—–
334
Would you favor amending the law so as to permit the substitution of a witness
where, in evident good faith, one of the original two appears, in the judgment of
the court, to be honestly mistaken in believing that he has adequately known the
petitioner for the whole five years? (Under the present practice the petition is
denied, and a new one must be filed and a new fee paid.)
Yes (“The present practice imposes a great
hardship and injustice”) 311
No 36
Noncommittal 6
—–
353
Would you favor amendment of the law so as to mitigate the present
requirement that two, only two, and the same two, witnesses must swear to
personal knowledge of all of the petitioner’s residence up to five years, within the
state in which the petition was filed, and thus permit him to cover a part of this
residence by depositions, or additional witnesses, when witnesses possessing the
qualifications now required cannot be procured?
Yes 289
No 34
Noncommittal 11
—–
334
Would you write into the Naturalization Law a specific educational or intellectual
test for admission to citizenship?
Yes 167
No 157
Noncommittal 25
—–
359
Do you favor a uniform required course of instruction for applicants for
citizenship?
Yes 208
No 134
Noncommittal 33
—–
375
Would you favor acceptance, as prima-facie evidence of intellectual fitness, of a
suitable certificate from schools or class, of the successful completion of such a
course?
Yes (“I would”; “I do accept school certificates
now,” etc.) 209
No (“The judge must satisfy himself by his own
inquiry”; “it is character, not learning, that
counts”; “too many Socialists are teaching
school,” etc.) 110
Noncommittal 31
—–
350
Would you favor the abolition of the present Declaration of Intention (first
papers)? If not, what good purpose do you think it serves?
Yes (“It serves no good purpose”) 82
No (“It is an essential of the proceeding”; “it
serves notice to all concerned”; “it tends to
keep the applicant in mind of his desire to be a
citizen,” etc.) 241
Noncommittal 33
—–
356
What have you observed to be the special difficulties in the way of desirable
foreigners, hindering them from seeking naturalization?
Know of none deterring desirable foreigners 107
Ignorance and indifference 104
Deterring attitude of natives 60
Technicalities in law and examinations 42
No opinions 58
—–
371
Would you favor legislation to permit the naturalization of a married woman in
her own name, if personally acceptable, regardless of the alienage of her husband,
or his failure to obtain or refusal to seek naturalization?
Yes 204
No 104
Noncommittal 25
—–
333
Would you favor reserving to a native-born American woman, if she desires it,
the American citizenship which under the present law she sacrifices by marriage to
a foreigner?
Yes 220
No 127
Noncommittal 17
—–
364
Would you favor modification of the law so as to admit to citizenship any
individual personally fit, regardless of race or color?
Yes 100
No 225
Noncommittal 34
—–
359
Do you believe that the admission of large numbers of aliens under the Act of
May 9, 1918, solely on the ground of military or naval service, without the usual
requirements of residence, etc., operated on the whole to the advantage of the
United States?
Yes 111
No 113
Doubtful 28
No opinion 58
—–
310
Would you favor applying the same standards and tests to all prospective
voters, native and foreign born alike, before endowing them with the suffrage;
with suitable ceremonies of induction into “active voting membership,” so to
speak, in our society?
Yes 180
No 102
Noncommittal 44
—–
326
Would you favor removal of naturalization from all state courts, so as to make it
exclusively a function of the Federal courts?
Yes 112
No 208
—–
320
Would you favor placing naturalization in the hands of traveling naturalization
commissioners, appointed by and responsible to the courts?
Yes 76
No 202
—–
278
Would you favor making naturalization a purely administrative function,
exercised by the Naturalization Bureau, or other appropriate organ of the
Department of Labor, or other department?
Yes 48
No 222
—–
270
The clerks of the courts in many ways are not less important in the
experience of the petitioning alien than either the judges or the
naturalization examiner. Upon the clerk, more than upon anyone
else, in the vast majority of cases, depends scrutiny of the
declaration of intention; usually he actually makes out the
declaration for the alien; if he is careful and familiar with the routine
of form and fact he makes it out, or sees that it is made out,
correctly; if he regards the whole business as a nuisance, has a
prejudice against immigrants as such or against the particular race
represented by this particular alien, or doesn’t like this individual, if
he has had a controversy with the Naturalization Service or is, for
some other reason, in an unfriendly mood, or if, as is more likely to
be the case, he is simply careless or unfamiliar with the technic of
the business—having very little of it to do—the interests of the alien
may suffer accordingly. The courts do not give the alien the benefit
of any allowance for clerical or other errors made or permitted by
the clerk if they relate in the slightest degree to any material fact;
the alien must guard himself against any such error, or bear the
consequences alone. In fact, the courts have repeatedly held, as it is
expressed in a brief in the case of Mulcrevy vs. San Francisco, in the
United States Supreme Court, that the duties in connection with
naturalization performed by clerks of courts “are not appurtenant to
the office of clerk of court.... All of their transactions with the Bureau
of Naturalization, and these include almost all of their service, are
performed without any reference to the court.”[86] In many
instances, the clerks are greatly annoyed by having this citizenship
work thrust upon them; they take no pleasure in having been “freely
designated by Congress to serve the purposes of the Federal
government,” or in being thus “instrumentalities or agencies of the
Federal government,” as the Mulcrevy brief puts it, and perform their
duties in a careless, grudging, and ill-natured spirit.
In most of the rural districts, naturalization business is very light;
sometimes there will be only two or three cases a year; there are
even courts in which a year or two might pass without any at all. In
such instances the labor is trivial; but for that very reason the clerk
is not alive to the importance of details, and the ratio of mistakes
may be the greater for that reason.
In the large cities, where the naturalization business is heavy,
there are usually deputy clerks devoting virtually all of their attention
to it; they keep in practice, and avoid errors. But it is to be
remembered that because this work is not “appurtenant to the office
of clerk of court,” neither the United States nor the state contributes
anything whatever to the remuneration of the clerk. The alien pays
for that, in a manner well calculated to create an undesirable
relationship all the way round. The clerk is put in this regard largely
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