Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-07-27
The New secret Party.

Lately We made some mention OF new
Political organization Of a secret nature that
seemed 10 have its nucleus in Maryland.
Since then we have seen IL stated that the
new PARTY was a revival of the old know
nothing organization, that shot up into such
formidable proportions a few years ago. and
dwindled almost as speedily as il arose.
Our information is, however, that the new
organization is not a 'native" party like thu
know nothing party, but that II embraces
many foreigners in its ranks Neither is it
confined 20 any political lines. so far as can
be gathered il is strictly a sectaTian, anti
Catholic party, and in Maryland it seems to
have been organized on the basis of opposi-
tion TO sectarian appropriations. The fol-
lowing circular issued from Baltimore seems
TO set forth the objects OF the party with
some exrlicitness;
CITIZENS
"YOu arc called upon to unite at the ballot
bOx 10 resist papal preteuSiODs in our poll
tics Tie Church OF Rome has long con-
trolled, directed and miSled the democracy,
and now believes that with her compact
military Church organizations and by aid OF
her ancient Diplomacy, her cOunsels may to-
tally ignore the Protestant spirit within her
party. Convene. then. Citizens. for the pur
pose of organization, that you may with
more certainty of success defeat at the cleo
lions those candidates who 20 the bidding OF
Rome, that you NAV resist the destruction
of our schools, and by your vote maintain
the senaTateness OF state and Church. de
manding The taxation Of all church property,
and the Giscontinuance OF sectarian aPprO-
priatiOns."
Rumor has had 10 that this organization
has already attained great strength In Mary
land, and especially in Baltimore; but the
nomination of Carroll, Catholic. for gov
eTnOr by the democrats. after a sharp con-
test, would seem to Indicate that the num-
a parfv ha haav i
mated. We see no reason to suppose that it
Will reach any national proportions unless
the Catholics should make the great blunder
Of arraying themselves as a bOly against the
common school system OF the country; and
the thoughtful utterances OF various au-
tnoritative opponents of Catholic sentiment
in the country. indicates that they have no
idea of committing that error.
That narrowgauge railroads might be re-
sorted TO more frequently than they are in
many places where the traffic and popula-
fion are not sufficient To support a broad
gauge road, and with profit to the stock
holders and to the the people along the line,
undoubted; but whether they can success
fully compete with long lines of established
roads of the old pattern Is not so clear. 1t
seems, however, that the experiment is TO be
made. The Rockingham (Va) Reytster says
that active operations are being resumed on
the Harrow gauge railroad Washington and
CiDcinnati) which was commenced at Har-
risonburg and graded as far as Sangersville
Augusta county, Va. Major Borst, the
president OF the road, has negotiated with
the governor OF the state for the hire of not
less than 100 nor more than 800 convicts for
the term o! two years TO work on the roai
west OF HarTisonburg. Fifty of these con-
Wits have nd
work in Highland county, and fifty more
are on their way 10 be employed in the same
service. The contractor for the construction
of the road gets these laboreYs for their board
and Clothing, the state doing good thing
and the narrow gauge railroad contractor a
still better business. Mr.. AllemOng mas the
contract for grading the road from Monterey
Ia Highland to Bridgewater in Rockingham,
tie road being now graded from Bridgewater
to SangersvIlle.
There are many miles OF such roads in the
western and southern states OF great use and
convenience to the population, and profit to
the owners, which, II built OF broad gauge,
might fail TO pay expenses, and SO fall into
disuse- The narrow gauge requires less road
way, and, consequently, smaller embank-
Inents and cuttings; they admit of sharper
curves, and so may be built with smaller
detours on account OF topography; the rails
used are lighter. the ties shorter, and so each
item in the construction costs less than for a
broad gauge road the same is the case with
rolling stOck-cars and lOcOmotiveS-which
may be made quite as convenient and efec-
tive as their larger rivals at much less cost.
Bot the largest saving which the narrow
gauge roads effect is in the cost OF running
them The cars being lighter the engine is
not required TO move so much dead weight
in proportion to paying freight a. on broad
gauge roads Out OF nearly seven thousand
miles OF railroad in Pennsylvania, there are
about one hundred and thirty miles Of mar
row gauge roads already built, and one hun
dred miles more IN prospect. The Boston,
Revere and Lynn marrow gauge was open
gu on Thursday. Its length is ten miles, and
gauge three feet.