Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1886-12-31
!. spcpEr ORDER IN POLITICS.

ORDER IN POLITICS.
About two weeks ago a newspaper at
Amsterdam, New York, gave what pur-
ported to be a particular description OF
the secret methods OF the Knights CT
Labor. The grips, signs, signals, ohal'
lenees. warnings, tests, and ceremony OF
;nitistion were all described in detail.
The article containing these reveia'
tions was copied into the New York Sun
and into other newspapers, and has had
a wide circulation, but, so far, no Knight
of Labor. high or low, has come forward
to deny its accuracy. The probabilities,
too. favor its truthfulness, for a large
number OF members have been expelled
for revealing the secrets of the order,
which has been recruited so rapidly that
many loose.tongued men must OF neces-
sity have been admitted.
The Sun says the secret methods OF
the Knights of Labor, as described in
that article, are in no respect original.
They are all borrowed from those in use
among secret societies since the days OF
the ancient Egyptians and therefore it
is not worth while to 90 into any par
ticular examination of them. The men
who got up and developed the order
simply copied the old machinery OF mys-
terry with unimportant notifications.
What is important is the fact that
such an organization is now undertaking
to manage politics. 1t proposes, or
those within it propose, to put all this
secret machinery to use in running a po-
litical party. The methods of the
Know-Nothings are to be revived, and
the work of political organization is to
proceed under the cover of secrecy and
in accordance with the methods of con-
spirators like the Nihilists of Russia.
In this Republic, where all political
discussion is free, and every citizen has a
part in the Government, a secret and
oath.bound order, which includes many
who are not citizens at all, is charged
with the work of building up a political
organization intended to revolutionize
our whole social and constitutional sys-
tenn. That means that an attempt is to
be made to import into our politics the
methods of the Carbonari, with their
grips and passwords and mysterious con-
claves, as If this were q country IN
which a man stood in danger because OF
the expression of political opinions, and
where liberty of speech could be exer-
cised only under cover of darkness and
the protection of secrecy preserved at
the penalty of peril for the conspirator
who dared to break away from his oath.
That sort Of thing. as we have said,
was tried by ths KNOWN othiDgs. and it
seemed to work very we'll at first. The
mystery imposed on the public and
frightened them, 80 that some more or
less prominent politicians were seduced
into the movement, or joined it with the
notion of turning it to their own pur.
poses. But the prosperity of the Know
Nothings was short lived, and the party
passed away without leaving a trace, ex.
cept here and there a wrecked reputa-
ton.
The American people were soon
aroused to the danger of turning over
their politics to the management OF a
secret society, with it's grips. signs, dark
lanterns, and terrible penalties. They
were accustomed to free discussion and
complete independence OF political ac-
ton, and had no occasion to proceed like
conspirators seeking the overthrow OF a
despotism which drove them into holes
and corners to give utterance to their
opinions. They were their own govern
ors, and were not afraid to declare their
minds in the light and in public places.
If the Labor party continues to rely
on the use of the secret machinery of the
Knights of Labor it will meet with the
fate of the Know-Nothings, and its
downfall will come as speedily. 1t will
not even last long enough to be sold out
at the next election for President, and
with it will go, in all likelihood, the
whole organization which labor has built
up at such infinite pains. The people of
this Republic will not tolerate political
conspiracy, and such is a political move
ment controlled or manipulated by a
secret society.
Col. Ingersoll says that nc man has
a RIGHT to more land than he can use. !"