The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1878-03-28
KNow-NoTHING1sM REVIVED.


National party do not know that the
leaders of their party have organized
secret political society, the members of
which assume an obligation, recognize
each other by signs and grips, and are
admitted to meetings by regular pass
words-in short a secret political society
in every sense of the word, whose plan
of operations may not be vastly unlike
the secret wing Of the cd Know-Nothing
party. The National Greenback League
is the name of the new political organi-
zation, and while a majority of those
who hold membership in the National
party may not belong to the new secret
organization, all the members of the lat
ter are leading lights in the National
party. This secret organization appears
in the political arena as the professed
champion of everybody and everything.
1t takes upon itself multifarious respon-
sibilities. 1t picks them up as though
they were trihes, and undertakes in the
most chivalrous ofF.hand manner to
usher in the millennium in short order.
Like DR.. Gillipod, whose dose for all
equine ailment is "a plug O. tobacco and
a pound O. borax," the National Green
back League have one universal panacea
vote for us and don't tell anybody.
Here's the prescription:
NATIONAL OBLIGATION.
l. do most soemnly promise on my sacred
honor that will not reveal the name Of any one
present or of any person who may become known
TO me as a member of the National Greenback
| League,
. l also promise that will not reveal any of
the signs grips or passwords that ! may receive,
belonging to said League. to any person not
! member
Furthermore, l also promise on my honor
that will not vote for any man to I'LL any oihce
of honor trust or profit who is not pledged to sup
port the principles set forth in the platform of the
said National Greenback League.
The Society has a regular method OF
initiating new members, somewhat sim.
liar in its features to those of the secret
orders. In the initiation these obliga-
lions are taken in full. Then the plat.
form of the League is read to the person
undergoing the ipitiatory ceremonies,
and after this the old members rise and
simultaneously say:
1--WE are brothers. Our common interests and
welfare demand united action. We are all wit
nesses of your voluntary obligation in honor
| given TO be one of us and we welcome you 10 our
party, Woe to traitors"
After this little warning is given to the
initiated, the grips, signs of recognition,
passwords and other funny features are
impaired, but just what these features
comprise or whether there are other
safeguards the reporter could not learn.
The next business, in the formation of a
new Council or League, is to choose Off
GERS (who hold their places three
months) as follows: A president, Vice
President, Secretary, Treasurer Sergeant
at Arms, Guard and committee of three
on new members. The members claim
that there is no initiation fee, no weekly
or monthly or yearly or any other kind
of dues, no assessments OF any sort or
kind-but such of the members as choose
to do so can voluntarily hand in any con-
tributions they please, however small or
large, to the Treasurer for the purposes
of the league. The prime movers of the
society are anxious to initiate all the
workingmen into their order and wisely
concluded that the movement would be-
come more popular if no money were de.
manded of the members. The platform
of the League is said to be the principles
adopted at the GreenbaCk Convention
held at Columbus, Ohio, September 18th,
1877; the main principles of which are in
cluded in the Toledo platform.
The GreenbaCk League is strongest in
Ohio, Illinois and Indiana, but also has a
firm foothold in every State where the
National party has existence. 1t is we'll
established in Allegheny county, num-
bering some sixteen hundred members.
Most of the members are the leaders of
the National party, but they declare that
the League and the National party have
no further connection. In one or two
townships where the National party have
the majority the League is very strong,
and in this county it is generally strong
est in the mining districts. Very many
miners are enrolled among its members.
"What is the aim of your league ?" said
the reporter to a gentleman who is at the
same time a leading member of the
League and one of the most effective
members Of the National party in this
county.
"The National Greenback League" he
replied, sis an organization that makes a
test of principles affecting money, and
has for its object the retiring ofNational
bank notes and substituting greenbacks.
This is its cardinal plank, and on this a
test is made, viz: that members will not
vote for anybody for an Office who is not
publicly in favor of their platform. That
test is made by the Democratic party and
by the Republican party by implication, as
is known by the fact that men who do
not endorse their platforms are not con-
sidered members Of their party"
"If such be your aim you must be con-
neCted in some manner with the Ma. |
tlonal or Workingmen's party2" suggest
ed the reporter.
"The Workingmen's party and the |
GTeenbaCk Leygue are separate parties"
he replied. "No candidates are ever
nominated or ever to be nominated by
the League. But if any number of men
choose to get together and promise each
other that they will not be fooled into
voting for any candidate who is not pub
licly known to favor their greenback
ideas-where is the harm in it2 That's
all there is to or about the League. No
workingmen is required to join, Every
one is free in that respect-so don't be
confused about the matter. They are
separate parties, but many workingmen
join these National Leagues because they
know that the wrong financial policy of
the old parties has brought the country
to the verge of ruin, and they want the
National bank notes retired, the bonds
paid off in greenbacks, and no paper cur
rency but greenbacks in circulation"
"What is the need of secresy if your
organization have no further aims2"
because the business man and the
workingman can not enter into such a
movement without danger to either their
business or their situation. Said a gen.
tlemen 10 me the other day, my heart